Vicissitude
by Zixzs
Summary: On a darker-than-average mission, Amethyst attempts to self-ameliorate her levity towards ardent vehemence (talk about feelings, as she'd put it). Of course, the opportunity to do so isn't exactly the most conventional nor the most relaxing. It was harder than she cared to admit, honestly. The fact that it was easiest to do near Steven wasn't important though, right? Right?
1. Empathy

Holy dang, someone actually clicked on this story? In 2018, no less? Hopefully not on accident, heh.

 **A/N:** I don't really know what to put here; two years later, I'm changing a **all** of the author's notes to more accurately fit in the case that you're reading this all in one sitting. 90,000+ words is a bit much for a single session, but I think you can do it. Maybe the story will be good enough to denote such a marathon of reading? Or maybe you'll get bored and quit reading half-way through this chapter; I hope not, but I won't tell you what to do. To each, their own, as they say. Honestly, I'm just kind of surprised that you willingly clicked on such a needlessly extensive story based around a lesser known ship for Steven Universe. I hope I can satisfy your curiosity/need for fluff, and I hope you can enjoy this story any way you can, whether you ship this pair of quartz or not! Have a wonderful day.

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _I: Empathy_

* _crack_ *

"Steven! Keep it down!" a pale woman hissed to the boy behind her. Her thin frame was barely visible in the dim light, though the look of annoyance adorning her face was still apparent. "We don't want to give away our position!"

"Sorry!" he whispered as he slowly rose his foot off whatever he just broke. Careful not to make another sound, he bent down to examine the fragile object he just trampled. As soon as he leaned forward, one of the many luminescent rocks dotting the caverns pulsated from underneath it, creating the frightening image of a semi-destroyed skull glowing gruesomely.

Steven yelped in surprise, stumbling backwards with arms flailing about; whether for balance or from panic, he couldn't tell. His legs propelled him away from the grinning remains, causing him to slam into a short, white-haired Gem who was following close behind him. Neither could get out a single word before they both came tumbling down to the rocky ground, making Pearl slap her Gem out of frustration.

"Oof, do ya mind?" Amethyst remarked as she ungracefully pushed him off of her. Still frightened by the ghastly object, Steven shakily rose to his own feet and apologized again, offering his hand. It didn't take long to fill it. Now standing, Amethyst motioned for the both of them to rejoin the other two Gems, facing forward once more. Steven was able to see a cautious expression return to her features a split second before the sight was blocked by her silver hair.

She wasn't the only one alone in her caution. Steven noticed how each of the three guardians looked around cautiously, searching for the dire Gem threat they'd come to find. Thinking of the skull, he joined them. The fact that there was some Gem threat to deal with was essentially the only reason they had bothered to travel this far into the Earth's crust, evidently. No reason aside from magical patrol came to anyone's head as to why they had decided to go here in the first place. It certainly wasn't some tropical spot for a vacation.

Pearl, for once, had no interest in whatever history was behind the deep underground tunnels, instead finding their presence nothing more than unnerving. Steven was happy to be joining the other Gems on a more important mission, but had failed to hide his unsettlement the moment he saw the dense, unnatural fog of darkness shrouding them from the warp pad. Garnet had a mission to do, which currently _wasn't_ to scare Steven. She could do that much without some foreboding cavern, and probably better, too. Amethyst, though initially impressed by the magnitude of each hollow pathway, begun to see that wherever they were was neither cozy nor comfortable. Not to mention her irritation at being unable to bring one of the many glowing yellow stones home as a souvenir.

"Man, G," she called to their leader after a short time, who was aptly leading her team further into the foggy gloom. It was a dark place like this that really made Steven appreciate her ability to see beyond what normal eyes could. "You weren't kiddin' when you said this place was creepy."

"Amethyst!" Pearl exclaimed more than a tad louder than the statement she was reprimanding. The look of annoyance from Steven's small blunder hadn't faded. "What did I just say?"

The short Gem shrugged her arms, matching her own expression of apathy. "Eh, the thing's probably not even close, P," she reasoned, looking somewhat bored. A small pause in everyone's dialogue followed Amethyst's words, allowing a brief moment to hear the far echoes reverberate from unseen stone. Pearl groaned, and begun stomping forward in some likely futile attempt to avoid an arguement. Amethyst shrugged it off, something she's had literal millennia to practice, and continued walking, absent-mindedly glancing back to Steven to make sure he was still with them. The sight of his small wave ensured his presence, and she nodded, moving her eyes back to the darkness one usually associated with nightmares. At the same time, Garnet rose a solitary hand from the front of the group as she stopped abruptly, signaling the others to follow her lead.

With Pearl having just started her extreme pacing and Amethyst not paying attention (with good intentions this time) what happened wasn't precisely what Garnet intended. The result was Pearl freezing midstep, then Amethyst stumbling right into her due to her searching the blackness surrounding them. Thankfully, gravity didn't completely take both persons down again, but the unbalanced force had put a sizable scowl on Pearl's features. That was quickly removed upon the second impact.

Steven, having done similar to Amethyst, bumped into her, and because of the simple laws of physics, had created one more forceful contact between Pearl and her. Only half a dozen seconds after Garnet called for the group to come to a standstill did they stop advancing.

Notice the use of "advancing," rather than "moving."

"Okay, you lost your leg privileges, buddy," Amethyst remarked to Steven. In almost the same minute, she pushed him off of her again with a little more difficulty. After a bit of awkward limb movements and a couple steps on Pearl that were probably accidental, Amethyst was able to stand above the assortment of limbs. Steven was less fortunate, considering the added disorientation from being moved by both gravity _and_ Amethyst, but eventually found his footing on solid terrain, apologizing profusely. Amethyst waved them off, making sure that she and _only she_ didn't hold it against him.

Pearl took her time to count to ten, then rose with as much grace as she could achieve in the presence of either Gem. It wasn't a very impressive quantity. Her hands tightened upon witnessing Steven still needlessly apologizing to Amethyst, a bit more than irked that he seemingly ignored her.

Another silent count to assure that her spear wouldn't accidentally find its way into her hands was applied before Pearl glowered downwards to reprimand Amethyst. She made it almost too obvious that she'd ignored Steven's assistance in the collision. "What do you—"

"I never 'kid,'" a voice interrupted her. Startled, Pearl turned towards Garnet, and saw the fusion looking forward intently as if she'd completely ignored the recent fiasco behind her. "Now, let's keep moving."

Steven tried not to compare Pearl's gaping to that a fish, but found his subconscious did so anyways. "But, Garnet—"

"Come on, Steven!" Amethyst suddenly exclaimed, trying to avoid having her laughs overtake her vocal cords. "You heard Garnet! Onwards!"

And with that, the violet Gem began dutifully marching behind the leader, in such strong steps that it could be deemed nothing but comical. Steven gave Pearl a small glance, then briskly turned away so she couldn't witness the smile breaking the surface of his cheeks. He was able to suppress a laugh when he needed to (though that was almost never,) but Pearl's reaction hadn't made it a very trivial task. After a slight hesitation, he followed Amethyst, forcing himself not to copy her for Pearl's sake. She eventually rejoined the group in a detering silence that suggested not annoying her further was the correct course of action.

Some minutes of quiet walking let the situation's humor fade, the initial feeling of urgency regrettably taking its place. Even Amethyst's mischevious smile was lost, replaced by an apprehensive frown seemingly directed at everything. After looking particularly displeased at a distant group of pulsing yellow rocks, she half-consciously told Steven not to wander too far off.

If Amethyst was focusing attention on the use of her ears rather than her eyes, she might've heard a slight stumble in someone's footfalls. A few abruptly silent moments passed when she felt eyes on her; thankfully not that of a predator lurking in the dark and unnatural fog, but still a gaze that told her she was being watched. Amethyst stopped walking and turned towards where she assumed the observer stood.

"…what?" she answered to Pearl's odd look. The expression probably had a name, though its identity wasn't known. A strange mixture of both suspicion and approval. Knowing Pearl, the cause of it was something that'd end up accidentally belittling.

"Hm," Pearl hummed before walking past Amethyst, her countenance changing to contemplative at the last moment. That was probably not a good sign. "Nothing."

Now frowning at her, Amethyst turned to Steven, head tilted. He gave her a shrug, essentially saying "Your guess is as good as mine." That was assuming Amethyst had a guess, which she didn't. Regardless, she was more or less forced to forget about it, returning her attention back to the dreary search for some deadly Gem. The ordeal was beginning to resemble an extremely delayed baseball pitch; just important enough to stay alert without the reason for _being_ alert existing quite yet, always looming without the ability to tell when it would strike. Not a very good feeling. The sooner they bubbled the thing, though, the sooner she could stop worrying about it.

Steven would've agreed to her statement, had she voiced it. If what Garnet had told him earlier rang true, then Amethyst had all the right in the world to revert to seriousness. Steven thought it safe to assume Garnet was right.

 _"This Gem is unlike any you've faced before,"_ he recalled her saying. Despite Garnet's extensive secrecy, Steven somehow knew that it was more dangerous than she was letting on, which was saying something. _"I have a feeling it's not going to be pretty. You're not forced to come along, Steven."_

Being the smart Gem-human hybrid he was, Steven had come along anyways, having ended up convincing himself that he was finally ready to take on more serious missions. There might've been some ironic symbolism in the event just a minute prior, had Steven cared to search for it. He hadn't.

Now, though, Steven was beginning to regret his decision. Not to search, mind. The monstrously large cavern all four Gems were currently searching seemed to be actively attempting to scare them, and it was succeeding annoyingly well. As if the idea that only one single entity was able to dig out the cave's entirety was far too realistic. Who knew what kind of Gem beast resided down here?

"Hey, uh, Garnet?" Steven said, glancing about fretfully. A nervous sweat begun to bead itself on his forehead, rivaling the deep-underground's heat. He may've not possessed a magical sixth sense, but even he could feel the possible danger around them. A chunk of that may've been paranoia. "What's this Gem thing look like, anyways?"

Garnet visibly slowed, for which Amethyst was a little grateful for; it felt like they'd been walking along aimlessly for _hours._ It was most likely not even a dozen minutes, but still. "Yeah, what's this thing gon' be, G?" she inquired herself. "I wanna know what we're wreckin'."

Pearl hadn't needed to show her own curiosity to get Garnet to completely stop. Perhaps her expression was enough. Sighing, the dark woman lifted her hands to her excess quantity of eyes, studying the facets of her halves. "I do too," she eventually answered, clenching her hands shut.

A mediocre moment of silence ensued. Amethyst was the first speak again, a bit more confused rather than less. "Wait, what? You dunno?"

Unexpectedly, Garnet nodded, wearing an odd combination of both determination and irritation seeming directed at everything surrounding her, save for the three others accompanying her. "I'm aware of the creature's severity," she explained, "but not the severity's origin. It's… frustrating."

Steven quickly spoke up from behind Amethyst, a nervous smile etched on his cheeks. "Well, all the more reason to find it then, right?"

Garnet glanced down at the optimistic boy. Her mouth turned upwards, hands relaxing to pat his head. "Well put," she said, continuing deeper. Amethyst made sure to keep her complaints to herself, and distracted herself by comparing Pearl's gaping to that of a fish. The connection was fairly easy to make, so much that mentioning it would probably be one of Amethyst's more biting insults.

"But, Garnet," Pearl spoke, attempting to illuminate the walls with her Gem like a miner's helmet. A silent curse fell from her mouth when she remembered trying it five minutes earlier had yielded no useful results. "Surely you know _something_ that would aid our efforts?"

Garnet thought for a moment, temporally searching for some shard of useful information. "Eyes," she said after a moment with a self-satisfactory nod.

Steven rose an eyebrow, wondering what Gem she was referring to with that single word. Amethyst groaned shortly after, frowning. "Right. That's _super_ helpful."

Garnet gave her a placid shrug, then suddenly jerked her head sideways. A motion that quick would've been enough to cause everyone to stop even if Garnet wasn't the one to whip around so abruptly.

"We're getting close, Steven," Garnet said to the boy, watching in the direction they'd been travelling for a considerable amount of time. She seemed to hesitate a moment, like she was going to regret what she said next. "It'd be best if you stayed here." She adjusted her currently unnessecary sunglasses, and looked around the spire of stone holding up the enormous underground cave. While her eyes couldn't see much in the nearly pitch-black gloom, centuries of fighting had honed her instincts, and they were telling her something ominous was slowly approaching. It still didn't distract her from her own hypocrisy.

Garnet hadn't needed to visibly see Steven to feel the slight hurt at her attempt to shelter him from harm. She _did_ need to see Amethyst in order to witness one a more rare expression of irritated agreement. Pearl looked on with approval, most likely relieved that her persistently protective thoughts had finally taken effect.

"But I can help!" he said, trying to remind her of his growing aptitude with his Gem. If he was supposed to simply sit away from the fight, then what was the point of him coming in the first place? His statement was given an apologetic smile in response.

"I know, and we appreciate it." Pearl nodded sincerely, understanding his eagerness. Amethyst was a bit more hesitant, for reasons she hoped weren't too obvious. "But," the fusion continued, "We don't want to risk you getting hurt." More nods; this time Amethyst beat Pearl to it, agreeing both loudly and silently.

Steven made a delayed nod himself, though still appeared somewhat petulant at their refusal to let him show his ability. "Fine," he finally answered, sighing. Then a thought occurred to him. Recalling the skull, he made a thoughtful expression. "But what if that thing comes after me first? Shouldn't I be with you guys, then?"

A pregnant interlude of further thought took hold. "Whoops," Amethyst said after some moments, appearing thoughtful herself. A slight feeling of compunction at semi-subtly arguing for him to stay made itself known on Steven's features, but if he was going to remain out of the fight, then he at least didn't want to be on his own if their mystery opponent targeted him instead. He was good, but not _that_ good.

"He does have a point," Pearl said, trying to hide her distaste at how that hadn't occurred to her. Garnet put a thoughtful hand on her chin, weighing solutions rather than dwell on her potentially disastrous mistake. Chalk that one up to a lesson for not being a hypocrite. Splitting up was a bad idea, but at the same time, Steven being involved in the inevitable fight was a worse one. His well-being was what was paramount, after all. She had a feeling her companions felt similar. She also had a feeling they didn't like her going back on granting Steven permission to come along. Or at least Amethyst didn't approve.

If the reasoning bothered Steven enough to ask, Garnet would've told him that she hadn't expected the environment to be so visually crippling. Ironically enough, Garnet often compared seeing the future stretch and branch out before her to looking at a river from a cliff without glasses. Details were a luxury she couldn't often afford. Quite literally, one part of her would think that revealing this information now would hurt her pride, and another thought he wouldn't believe her, ultimately hurting his pride as a result.

Steven looked at each, attempting to make his regret at being essentially dead weight known, but hadn't succeed too well. Garnet held a hand on her chin in deep thought, most likely searching for an ideal option. Pearl had done likewise, deciding what course of action would result in the most safety for Steven. What was hard to work out about either letting him come or splitting up, he wondered? Either way, he would've been safe. More importantly, _e_ _veryone_ would've. The only Gem he managed to get eye contact with was Amethyst, and even that only lasted a split second.

Being the only Gem that wasn't working out how many ways one could divide the number four, she was found facing in his direction. But when he faced _her_ , she turned away in an amount of time that Steven could only compare to the duration it took to register eye contact. Rather then send a message in that fraction, though, Steven had nearly received one. The start of worry to an extent he hadn't seen yet, though he doubted the cause's severity; sure, the Gem they were chasing was supposedly serious business, but difficult to defeat wouldn't mean unbeatable. "I'm—" he began before getting interrupted after just one syllable.

"Shoot, why not," Amethyst abruptly sighed, throwing her arms behind her head. She looked back at Steven with a bit disinterest, though he swore he could see something else in her eyes. An almost-sloppily concealed concern; at what, though? "I'll play babysitter."

Her words were closely followed by a snort. The surprise on Pearl's face was almost reason enough to say that in its own right, the result being a comical stupefaction. Amethyst tried pinpointing exactly what species of carp she was so accurately representing. "Uh, right," the pseudo-aquatic Gem said skeptically, drowning out a somewhat confused Steven trying to figure out if he should be offended by how Amethyst answered. "Are you sure?"

Amethyst had a feeling there were four more words following her question, consisting of "that's a good idea?" The purple Gem looked to Garnet, raising an eyebrow for just a second. She could feel the motion being reciprocated from behind Garnet's reflective sunglasses. Probably not suspicion, but still a slightly insulting amount of surprise. "Yeah, I'm sure. 'Sides, G should pro'lly be the one to take the thing down."

The Gem in question gave Amethyst a faint grin that was a little unnerving. Like she knew more than she was letting on. At least the quiet and secretive Gem was the one to seemingly understand, "Alright," she answered, grin fading as she went back to the mission at hand. "Let's go, Pearl."

Honestly, Amethyst was expecting a bit more resistance than that, but hey, she wasn't complaining. Pearl gave both Gems a look of caution, though there was some undefinable amount of _untrusting_ caution that didn't exactly flatter Amethyst. Why was she so skeptical of her ability to watch him? It seemed to her that Garnet had no problem with it, and she knew that was probably the most reassuring reason for anything. It's not as though she hasn't looked over before. The only current difference is that Amethyst was currently _volunteering_ rather than silently agreeing to do what she was told. Pearl should be _thanking_ her.

"Keep him safe," she said, less of a command and more of a grammatically incorrect self-reassurance. If anything, Pearl's constant worry incited more reason to make her image of Amethyst incorrect. Regardless, the Gem brashly responded with, "Psh, how hard can it be?" Though Pearl obviously wasn't convinced (and most likely less trusting than previously) Amethyst preferred that reaction to the one she would've received if she gave a silent nod. Now was not the time to patronize her.

In only a few moments, Pearl left after Garnet, walking into the dark gloom. Amethyst refused to describe the sight as blackness swallowing her. She gave Pearl's form a lingering look, then faced an almost-pouting Steven. Well, almost-pouting was essentially pouting for Steven. He sat on the ground, crossing both arms and legs with a face of bothered discouragement that didn't really look right on his features. Now only with one other Gem, Amethyst let her expression soften, more forcibly than she'd like to admit.

 _"Prove Pearl wrong,"_ she reminded herself. _"Be a huge softie, if that's what it takes."_

Hopefully it wouldn't take that.

"Hey," she said, joining Steven on the ground with a thump. Giving him a sympathetic smirk, she asked what was on his mind, knowing the answer. She was no psychologist, but if he didn't want to talk about it, then she wouldn't talk about it. He kept facing outwards, either forcefully looking away or studying the slow pulse of one of the many yellow rocks embedded in the cave around them. Amethyst had a feeling it was the former.

"I _can_ help you guys," he stated after a considerable pause, sighing. The bounding boy's shoulders sagged to a point that didn't look medically correct, because he was _Steven_. Sad shoulders on him was like a broken horn on a unicorn. His look of disappointment seemed more sad than it should've to Amethyst, which also worried her a bit more than it should've. Maybe it was due to the sight's rarity that enhanced its sorrowful feeling. She didn't want him to be in such low spirits, _no_ one did, but it was between feeling down and not—

"…right?"

The uttered direction was at that magical volume where it wouldn't echo off a single wall but could still be heard. This trait caused it to remain so solitary that deciding whether or not Steven had said anything was a difficult choice. Amethyst was slightly taken aback by the way he pronounced the last delayed word, looking equal parts confused and startled. She wondered if he doubted he could help, then wondered if the thought that he couldn't have was something a sane person would say. However, that would explain the excessive slouch. Worried, Amethyst scooted closer, patting his back.

"'Course you can," she confidently stated, giving him a wide smile. Rather than force her attempt to reassure him, Amethyst was pleasantly surprised to have found that it came naturally. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard after all. "That shield o' yours has saved our butts more times than I can count."

His mouth turned upwards ever so slightly, but even that sliver of a grin was lost just as quickly as he gained it. A similar occurrence happened simultaneously with Amethyst's. "Then why don't you guys let me?" he asked in response.

That was an easy question to answer in the same sense that some elaborate and convoluted arithmetic problem was; the hard part was knowing _how_ to answer. However natural her stating a fact was, trying to be outright sentimental was _not_ something she refined over several thousand years, right alongside manners and knowing what was supposed to be edible. "Well, uh…"

Amethyst frowned, searching the ground for a method. Unless saying "soot, rock, yellow," was the right thing to do (and, it was just a hunch, but she didn't think so,) she didn't have an answer off the top of her head. At least, one that she could bear saying; she had the feeling either Garnet or Pearl would have no trouble telling him why. It was a little bothersome to her that she was apprehensive about being the one to relay their concern.

 _"Ah, what the heck,"_ she thought, allowing herself to say it for his sake. Besides, she's been trying to be a bit more open lately, anyways. Somewhat due to Pearl's constant patronizing on being a bad influence, but she honestly did want to better her more flippant habits towards emotions, as corny as that sounded. It sounded even more corny to say she was trying mostly for Steven, which is why she didn't go that far. One step at a time, as they say. She didn't like her reluctant instinct anymore than he enjoyed sitting out a mission. It was currently in the way of reassuring Steven right now, providing more incentive to rid herself of it.

"'Cause… we don't want you getting hurt," she stated surprisingly warmly, resting an arm around his shoulders. Averting her gaze from him helped her avoid a reflexive tone of sarcasm. He didn't need some joke; he needed the truth. Heck if she could tell how she knew. "It ain't like Garnet was lying. Like it or not, we actually _do_ care about you, man."

Not a second after she finished the last _-n,_ he perked his head slightly. His back had visibly straightened at the first admittance, and at the second, Steven turned to Amethyst with a grin that didn't appear to be forced. Though it somewhat contradicted his curious eyebrows. The width of his eyes seemed just a little greater than normal, too, spanning an area just after obtaining his attention but just a sliver before being caught off guard. Only seconds passed, and yet Amethyst still felt a bit too much like he was _staring_ at her.

For that much?

"Don't be too surprised now," she grumbled, turning away. Figures that when she tried to comfort him, he didn't expect it in the slightest. The last time she did so may've been a while ago (or maybe never) but was it really that out of place for her to show concern? A concern that she assumed was at least a little obvious?

Steven's neck tilted his head slightly, a bit confused at how Amethyst appeared upset by him. He _thought_ he didn't respond with anything that denoted a sour-looking mood. Just gratefulness and a look of… wonderment. Then it clicked that the one time she openly showed her care in who knew how long, he outwardly treated it with a start instead of the inward appreciation he had.

"Oh!" he suddenly said a bit louder than usual. Continuing after a couple moments of awkward silence as he was heard from increasingly distant locations, Steven explained the reason for his burst of eureka. "No, I'm not surprised, Amethyst. Just… well, I guess I am, but not…" He pondered for a moment, wondering _how_ to explain himself. "You kinda sounded… different."

Amethyst turned back to him, giving him an expression that told him to be careful with his next choice of words. _Very_ careful. As in, disabling a bomb careful.

"Not a bad thing!" he said, raising his hands defensively. "Not bad at all. I meant… I'm not used to you being that, uh…"

"Earnest?" she filled in for him, sighing. The fake anger fell away, revealing itself to be disappointment. Disappointment that he was surprised she could say something that basic. It wasn't as though the Gems _didn't_ on a regular basis; it wasn't as though _she_ didn't. Right? Though not _physically_ fatigued, Amethyst's legs stretched outwards, allowing her to prop her elbows up onto her knees. "I can do _nice,"_ she stated, sounding similar to Steven when he tried confirming if he wasn't useless. "I just… don't wanna."

Steven gave her an apologetic look that somehow didn't manage to annoy her. Most likely because that's all it was; apologetic, not pitying. Fittingly, he apologized as well.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have reacted like that," he said, scooting a tad closer to her. Ironically enough, him putting an arm around her shoulders surprised her. Unless he was outright told to quit it, Steven would do his darnedest to make anyone feel better. That fact made Amethyst feel a bit better. "But why don't you want to 'be nice?'"

The sideways glance he faced now looked a bit more authentic from his point of view. "Don't be asking me that, Steven," she warned. If she was even able to, Amethyst tried to make her glare look as reluctant as possible. "Ain't gonna end well."

One can't pour flour without opening the bag.

Still, no verbal warning against actually touching her, so his arm stayed where it was. Steven, taking the not-so-subtle hint, nodded, and fell into a thoughtful silence. His grip stayed, and yet neither mentioned it. Amethyst didn't have any problem with that.

Steven glanced at her for a brief moment, thinking. The gears of his mind ground against each other, struggling against her monkey wrench of a contradiction. Almost all the time, Amethyst was upbeat and humorous in a way that pleasingly seemed impossible to ignore. He had never been bothered by how she acted, treating most situations with an infectious joviality, but it seemed to him that _she_ was somehow bothered by it. Did she find it in excess?

Thoughtful, he rose his hand from the sooty ground, looked at it, wiped it on his jeans, and put it on his chin. Not like he was willing to get what was probably rocks and dirt on his precious face. Whatever the reason for Amethyst not wanting to show a bit more emotional candor, he was intrigued by it. Though he doubted she'd appreciate him trying to figure out why on his own. His good intentions of wanting to know more about her would most likely be difficult to prove. Good thing thoughts weren't—

"Dang it," Amethyst suddenly groaned, tearing him away from his hopefully silent ideas. That was how thoughts _worked_ , right? Steven looked at her, seeing her rub her neck with an odd expression. A kind of regret one usually wore before jumping out of an airplane or getting on a rollercoaster. "You didn't even say anything. How the _heck_ did you do that?"

Do what? Think? Now a bit more at a loss, Steven opened his mouth to ask what she was referring to, but the chance never came to exist. "If I say why, and that's a pretty big _if_ , you gotta promise not to tell anyone, y'hear?"

"Um," he said, beginning to understand. His cognitive ability took a small detour, but eventually arrived at a solution to his conundrum. She was asking him to withhold her answer, should she tell him why she often avoided absolute sentiment. Honestly, he would've done so for pretty much any reason. He learned to be more respectful of privacy since that unplanned stay at that magic island a while back. "Yeah. Yes, I promise."

"You sure?" she asked, looking at him dead on at a faintly closer distance than he was used to. Some parts of her expression fell away, showing some form of apprehensive hope. Steven made no attempt to discern it, more out of respecting her privacy than apathy. "Even if it's really, _really_ dumb?"

"Absotively," he nodded with a grin. Dumb things were his specialty. With his free hand, he pinched his thumb and index finger together, tracing them across the length of his mouth before flicking them outwards. Zipping his lips shut and throwing away the key. Still, Amethyst looked anxious.

"Right." She sighed, looking at the golden bulb next to Steven. The way she studied it suggested that she hadn't anticipated getting _this_ far, much less without any curious encouragement. Steven guessed reading people was just another of his specialties. "Look, I know I ain't the best when it comes to… feeling. Pretty sure everyone else does, too."

Steven stifled a half-surprised, half-confused "What?" to what she said. He furrowed his brow, interested in what she was trying to say that could possibly explain that. Whether she thought she wasn't or whether he could see too much from her laughing nature, he was certain she _felt_ no less than anyone. It took some active politeness not to disagree and say she felt in her own humorous way, but something about her expression helped. A sort of sympathetic window into understanding her, not all that common. It was strange, as if one had suddenly found solid evidence of what they suspected all along. _How_ he suspected, he couldn't say.

"Buuut…" she drew out, making no effort to quiet the nervous twitch of her finger twirling a random lock of snowy hair. Still shining white against the black background. _Blackground_. "It's just… hard."

The need to continue her explanation was felt, but went unheeded for a good amount of time. An inquisitive head tilt persuaded her to acknowledge the lack of understanding. "I don't like… being weak. No, that ain't right, I…"

"Being weak?" Steven may or may not have interrupted. The pause after denying her own terminology made it hard to tell. He mused for a moment, feeling her elusive point within grasping distance. The fact should've been known to him, but it seemed to persistently evade him every time he got close to it. He knew she enjoyed being _strong_ , and she was probably one of the last people in the galaxy he thought of as weak, but he didn't have to be a doctor to know that she didn't mean physically in this case.

Amethyst ran a free hand through her hair, mentally shuffling through her head for the right word to describe a specific form of weakness. A few clues were given to Steven in the hope that he'd be able to help her form an answer. "It's sort of like… like it's putting me out there, y'know? In the open. And, well, I… don't like it."

Much like the final piece of a puzzle was found, Steven's eyes broadened as what she was saying clicked neatly into place, completing the picture. He shifted a bit closer to her than before, instinctively tightening his grip on her shoulder just a tad. Her jump told him that much was noticed, but still hasn't been verbally acknowledged by either. Weirdly, she seemed to become more relaxed than previously after only a couple moments. Still tense, but an improvement. "So you're saying that it makes you feel _vulnerable_? When you don't joke about that stuff?"

Amethyst pursed her lips, looking oddly sheepish, almost ashamed. So that's the word she was looking for. "I guess I am," she said quietly. Then she gave him a nervous grin, going back to twirling her hair again. "Shoot, when did you become my therapist?"

"Hey, here to help," he replied, offering a smile. The one he received didn't really match his own, still showing an amount of unease that he felt determined to rid her of. It was somewhat difficult to see Amethyst so troubled, and knowing that her regret was directed at herself only intensified the challenge. Steven's expression changed to one of concern, looking at her worriedly.

"Y'know," he began slowly, trying to help. He hoped to know exactly what would successfully make her feel better. That was the one thing that he had a fair amount of confidence in, but now that she told him about being disconcerted by her reluctance to show seriousness, that confidence dropped considerably. Despite not knowing where to start or what she wanted to hear, he decided to at least begin with what he thought would comfort her. "There's no right or wrong way to react to things."

A curious look prompted him to continue. A good sign. Probably. "I mean, no one would attack you or anything for being open," he explained, sounding more sure with each word, "but it's okay to laugh about things. Just do what makes you comfortable, and you'll do it right."

Silence ensued.

If, by some miracle, Steven could've seen his own reaction that brought up this very topic, he would've compared Amethyst's expression to his own, confusion and all. Suddenly, he felt a bit more self-conscious, and looked about uncertainly. _Did_ he say the right things? He had just tried to make her feel better. It was difficult to tell how she reacted, mostly due to him not really knowing what part of it surprised her. A clue was present. "Uh, I'm sorry, Amethyst, I—"

"Bwah?" she interrupted him, a laugh mixed with a statement of misunderstanding. Laugh? She put an arm around _him_ now, smirking with an odd expression that took the place of what had been surprise. The common smile he was used to had returned to her lips, but he couldn't help but receive a small feeling of… sheepish… ness?

That fit about as well as a lion in a bird's nest. However, it didn't take long to figure out that it wasn't her fault she appeared that way. Something probably happened with the elusive Gem beast that lie in these very caves at some point during the revelation, because the glowing stones of the cave (at least the ones around them) illuminated her features less than usual. Or was her face just suddenly a deeper violet than he remembered?

"What in the _universe_ are you sayin' sorry for?" she questioned, breaking him away from his thoughts. Steven answered her question somewhat uncertainly, gradually managing to ignore the monochromatic change of color. "I dunno," he began, his eyes drifting back towards her own rather than her face in general. _They_ looked a tad unexplainably different, too. "I just wasn't sure if… I said what I was s'pposed to. So, sorry if I didn't."

Oddly, her smile expanded wide enough for the both of them. He supplied his own anyways, finding it rude if he didn't. He also found it a bit rude how much he looked at her face; it was probably always that dark, right? But why would it be like that only on her cheeks? "Yes, Doctor Steven," she assured him, "you did. Congrats."

He vaguely shook his head from side to side, trying to match his motion to the point where it made it easier to think without being able to be discerned. Steven made a salute with his free hand, proudly stating "Happy to be of service!" in a failingly gruff voice. Amethyst made a point to say that doctors didn't salute, which was followed by more laughter. Probably a bit more than was necessary, but an excess of chuckles never killed anybody.

"But," Amethyst eventually began after the final giggles subsided. Steven quieted with her, looking at her appreciative expression that still wore a smile. "Really, though… thanks, Steven. I needed that."

An expression of rapport was offered in return. "No problem-o," he said, treating her admittance with simultaneous triviality and urgency. Though unable to see why she felt apprehensive about it, Steven at least understood that if she wanted to keep that feeling of weakness a secret, then he'd keep it a secret.

She laughed again, lightly this time. It caught his attention in the sense that one found more cookies than there should've been in the jar. Most of her laughs were abrupt and sudden, but this one was... soft. Was this even the real Amethyst?

Suddenly, she coughed without anything visibly causing her to do so, unless the pebbles on the ground somehow dissipated into dust. Steven didn't have to look down to see that much was false. After he realized her cough was artificial, Amethyst rose her head to reveal an abruptly hardened expression. Not as common as the mischievously sly grin he swore took up her face 90% of the day, but still something recognizable. "Okay, that was nice and everything," she stated matter-of-factly, "but you tell anyone about… this, and you really _will_ lose your leg privileges. Got it?"

Ah, so it really was Amethyst. Knowing that she wasn't some Gem impostor seemed like a different kind of reassurance than knowing she was the real Amethyst, but that didn't mean he hadn't felt both. Steven nodded dutifully in response to her interestingly worded question, doing the previous motion of locking his lips while making a mental note to wonder about that later.

Seeing his agreement, Amethyst leaned back, reverting to the casual demeanor he was used to. He did the same; partly because her relaxation was so contagious, and partly because the mutual shift in weight on each other both had partaken in at some undefinable point in the conversation forced him. Even if they were both now just sitting back and not doing much, something felt different for Steven. The need to note this characteristic was supplied by how common lazing about with Amethyst was.

Whether or not it would be beneficial could only be determined by time, but Steven knew _why_ it was different. The fact that Amethyst entrusted him enough to confess some regret that was evidently unknown to her teammates made Steven feel somewhat better, in an altruistic way. Not as an individual, but just a permanent increase to his mood that he welcomed with open arms. He felt… _closer_ to Amethyst. As if he understood her better, and was glad to more precisely know how to comfort her. It wasn't known to him what tier outshines "best friend," but Steven felt her standing move to it. That much was probably shared among either of them, right?

"Hm," he suddenly hummed out loud. Amethyst looked at him for a brief moment before asking what he was thinking of now. He looked skyward, returning a hand to his chin. Friends, best friends...

…what _was_ that called? Steven didn't bother to order all the synonyms for "friend" (such as "acquaintance" or "companion,") but he knew that the term "best friend" was fittingly at the top of the list. However, since Amethyst was already there prior to the conversation's happening, Steven didn't feel like those two words told the whole story anymore.

"Hey, Amethyst?" he spoke up, breaking the silence with a thought turning verbal. Turning to her, he saw her open eye to looking at him inquisitively. Her hair blocked the other, but he had a feeling it was still closed from the serenity. How weird that in some dark and foreboding cavern, he found calm? Less weird when he remembered Amethyst was somewhat of that calm's reason for existing.

Right, Amethyst. "You know how people have friends, right?"

She rose an eyebrow, a bit confused at the question. Granted, that wasn't something people asked on a daily basis. "Generally speaking," she said with a shrug, "yeah, they do. Most of 'em, at least."

He continued after a brief pause, making sure the knowledge he was searching for wasn't present in his mind. Friendship was his number one deal, so how could he not know? Unfortunately, his mind was still blank as a canvas. "And then people usually have _best_ friends, right?"

Weirdly, Amethyst didn't appear to catch on that what he was asking still pertained to the current situation. Maybe she thought it better to drop off the previous subject when they did (in a way). Her eyebrow maintained its elevated state while her other eye opened underneath the lopsided bangs. Not that Steven could see that much himself. "Well, yeah. Some people are straight-up better."

"Soooo…" he mused, lingering on the vowel in deep thought. "What comes after 'best friend?'"

Only a moment passed before Amethyst snorted, a smirk growing across her face. Steven found himself comparing her expression to the one he's always see before she'd say something humorous that would go right over his head. _Definitely_ the real Amethyst. "What, you mean like 'friends with benefits?'"

The term felt familiar to his ears, but he could've sworn he heard it at a time when he wasn't supposed to. Some faded memory of watching a television show with his father, the show in question supposedly bearing a lot of humor that was lost on Steven at the time. Steven's curious expression hadn't changed by her answer, continuing to face her. "Is that what it's called?" he asked, wanting to make sure he wasn't falling for one of Amethyst's pranks. Not that he didn't trust her, but it seemed to him that whatever she said was some sort of joke. He still valued what was left of his dignity. He also still wondered where people could go from being best friends, creating a slight conflict in whether or not he should risk accepting her answer.

"Yeah, sure," she waved off, rolling her eye with a smile that Steven assumed was good-natured. "Ask Pearl about it later. She'd love to explain it to ya."

Okay, so that _was_ the answer. He didn't exactly understand what the "benefits" part of the title implied, but it probably referred to that kind of understanding that he enjoyed having with Amethyst.

"So…" Steven started again, more sure than last time. The confidence dropped off the vowel's lingering, but the delay after saying a two-letter word was still identical. He smiled back at her, obviously content with being able to know that. "Is that what we are?"

Steven didn't need a watch to count the amount of blank seconds that passed across Amethyst's face. At about four completely silent moments, Amethyst's eyes broadened enough to technically show both of them; a sliver of her semi-covered eye could be seen, implying a great deal of surprise. "What!?" she essentially yelled, jumping forward at him with an evident blush. _That's_ what she was doing before! But why was she doing it then? And why now?

"No, no no _no_ ," she denied fervently before Steven could ask what the matter was. "Jeez, Steven, just… _no_. Eugh. Why?"

Taken by surprise from her extreme denial, Steven's head recoiled slightly before settling down with a saddened expression. So the closer relationship didn't go both ways. Then again, why would it have? "I just thought…" he started, forcing himself to look back at her. "...we were better than best friends."

Amethyst groaned with a laugh, creating a noise that she probably wouldn't appreciate being imitated by literally anyone else. "Look, Steven," she began, still smiling and blushing simultaneously. Steven was a little it curious as to why she almost appeared apologetic. "I was just joking with the 'friend's with benefits' thing. That's something… you'll find out when you're older, m'kay?"

Steven's sad expression changed to one of confusion, as he was now attempting to figure if he still stood on that level above "best friend." He didn't pay much mind to how his suspicion was right, more interested on what term could accurately define where he stood with Amethyst. "Okay," he began, mentally rebooting. "So we aren't friends with benefits, whatever that means. But then are we still better than best friends?"

Amethyst eyed him uncertainly, seeing his hopefulness. After a slight hesitation, she sighed again, having that look of slight apprehensiveness he'd witnessed just before hearing of her secret. The difference between then and now is that now it dissipated on its own. "Yeah, Steven," she said softly, grinning. "I'd say we're pretty up there."

If that didn't sound genuine, Steven didn't know what the word meant. Maybe he'd work on having a title for it later; right now, all Steven was concerned with was knowing that the both of them were, as she confirmed, "better than best friends." True to their increased friendliness, Amethyst hadn't even tensed up at his sudden embrace, instead returning it. Steven wasn't aware if being predictable was a bad thing, but it seemed to him that she _expected_ him to do so. Time seemed to grow fuzzy for either a second or a minute, because Steven couldn't tell anyone how long the hug lasted specifically. But he did know that it lasted a bit longer than usual. He also knew that neither he nor she was put off by the increased duration.

Eventually, the hug ended, and he faced her happily. Witnessing a small bulb just outside of his peripheral vision, Steven's blithe expression suddenly melted away. "Wait a minute," he said in a reflexively dire tone.

"What?" Amethyst questioned. She didn't say anything about the hug, but Steven still felt as though she was aware of its extended length.

"Time." Steven said the word with such conviction as though he believed that would explain everything. Seeing that it didn't, he decided it would help to actually state what he was thinking about. "How long have Garnet and Pearl been gone?"

And like that, the sudden coziness Amethyst had felt left as she remembered that there was, in fact, danger lurking about. "Oh, crud," she said in place of a curse word Steven didn't need to know about. For the time being, at least. She quickly stood up, giving a hand to Steven as she did so. "I forgot about them. Whoops."

Steven internally blamed the distraction as Amethyst's fault, though still didn't hold it against her. Only time would tell if he could hold anything against her anymore. "We should probably find them, right?"

They both surveyed the darkness around them, looking at it with apprehensive annoyance that briskly became unease. An absolute blackness that choked the light out of its own ominous bulbs, silencing any attempt of comfort that would've been given to an exploring Gem. And residing in that cold, malevolent darkness was a Gem creature that would've been filled with just as much malice. Something that would surely prove a difficult challenge to face, much less battle. Something that could be waiting for the other half of its prey.

Unfortunately, neither Amethyst nor Steven could say the other's hand slipped into their own, because the motion occurred between both of them within the same millisecond. "Yeah, probably," Amethyst said.

* * *

 **A/N:** I should probably have some funny stuff to say here, but I ain't got much, honestly. Really, I'm just surprised someone actually read this far. Normally, this is the part where I'd say that I'll try to update quickly, but the story is finished, so...

I hope you enjoyed this story enough to click on the next chapter! Hope to see you there! :D


	2. Hypocrisy

**A/N:** Hooray, you clicked on the next chapter! I can only assume that you liked the previous one. Or maybe you're still curious on how I justify shipping a fourteen-year-old with a space rock whose age has twice as many digits? All things considered, that's probably what got you to click in the first place. I don't mind either way, heh. Anyways, shall we continue this tale? Remember to have a good day!

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _II: Hypocrisy_

So many things could be useful to them right now. Some kind of sentient flood light, like the one used on search helicopters attached to the brain of a bloodhound. A cell phone plan between all four of Gems, along with some magical permanent bars. Basic walkie-talkies would achieve the same effect. Or telepathy. Perhaps a very, _very_ long piece of string tied to each of them; the safety would surely be worth the loss of dignity. Maybe they could each have a loaf of bread, to use as an ample supply of bread crumbs for this specific situation. The point was, any form of creating some kind of connection to Pearl and Garnet that would inevitably help in finding them was invaluably important.

But probably the most useful thing would be a sense of direction.

"Are you _sure_ they went this way?" Steven asked his companion, scouring as many edges of what walls he could. He toyed with the idea of bringing out (or at least attempting to bring out) his shield, both for the extra precaution and for the light that its summoning would generate as a byproduct. Finding Pearl and Garnet with the very shield he assured them he was able to create with ease had a certain charm he didn't mind admitting as a little smug.

Much as Steven would've loved to show off his shield, though, the Gem's inherently scattered mind was too dispersed to focus on any sole task. Being divided across his and Amethyst's search, imagining what could've happened to the two other Gems, and still lingering on what his nearby friend had said despite the situation, Steven assumed his brain's failure to produce some magical defense was justified. The desperate hope that he wouldn't end up needing it countered the tense knowing that he probably would, so without any immediate cause to defend, it would stay sheathed.

Looking back to his current partner for the mission, Steven made a subtle "ahem" in an attempt to politely reinstate his inquiry's relevance.

Eventually, a groan met his question after a hesitation he found impossible to ignore. "Yeah, Steven," Amethyst tiredly answered for the fifth time, looking irked at her constantly having to repeat herself. Once for each minute that passed, seemingly on the dot. Her irritation most likely stemmed from his lack of trust (though it wasn't very misplaced, honestly) at her ability to walk forward, but his persistence was transforming the cause into something less personal.

"We'll find 'em," Amethyst said more to herself than to Steven. The slightest increase of force was applied to her hand, and she witnessed an encouraging nod on the edge of her vision. Sighing, she pressed forward while presenting the idea that he was just worried about the others to her mind. That wasn't the greatest revelation, but now that she recalled her friend's sympathetic worry for others, Amethyst's frown of vexation abated easily.

Knowing that the frown came from worry instead of annoyance in the first place, Amethyst reassured herself by dealing with the present tense. Stepping over a fragment of a boulder and half-consciously leading Steven over it, she thought it best to focus on what was currently happening instead of the much more daunting concept of what could've already happened, so she did. And what that changed her thought process to was…

…shortly after, the realization that a whole lot of nothing was happening occurred without much help. Silence settled back in in any way but comfortably, only ever impeded by the sound of feet hitting rock and the occasional sharp gasp when paranoia had gotten the best of either Gem. Amethyst mentally counted the seconds until Steven inquired on their directions for minute number six, then became surprised when it was in the negatives. Hoping that his untimely manner was from confidence in place of fear, she gave an unsure cough, trying to melt the ice that had so quickly appeared.

Unfortunately, the absence of sound in such a dark place didn't allow her to have some topic to reliably jump to. Flattering as it might've been, talking about herself simply didn't seem like the appropriate course of action at a time like that (despite her doing just that only minutes ago). And simultaneously, looking in the gloom for any sign of either Garnet or Pearl was as devoid of attention as the blackness was of color. Sure, it was an important task, but that didn't necessarily equate to an interesting task. Possessing only a generously estimated ten feet of murky sight ensured that they'd only see all of their friends or none at all.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar sound underfoot tore Amethyst away from her thoughts. She stopped momentarily to investigate whatever object was unlucky enough to be trodden upon, and jerked back a small distance upon recognizing it as a newly cracked bone. A bone frighteningly similar in length to Amethyst's forearm, which, by proxy, was close to Steven's. Frowning, she turned back to him, both of them looking more than displeased at the reminder of whatever was nightmarish enough to reside here.

"Stick close," she stated unnecessarily. Steven didn't need to be told twice. He gave her an affirmative hum, subtly nodding in a vaguely serious manner. Amethyst returned her attention to the little scrap of visible world in front of her, with more reluctance than previously. It was one of these times when she'd recede into her thoughts, much like when Pearl was in the process of lecturing her or when she pretended to understand one of Steven's weird cartoons. Only this time, she felt more of a need to avoid the starkness in front of her rather than a want to avoid something inconvenient.

Presented with the idea of inconvenience, Amethyst's mind linked the term "avoiding" with what she was supposed to be doing, that chiefly being _avoiding_ Steven coming into contact with their secretive target. Maybe the connection was out of habit, maybe out of some urgent subconscious thought, but either way, Amethyst was regrettably reminded of her initial task. Which, in a technical sense (Amethyst's favorite kind, no surprise there) she was still doing. Just because they weren't sitting around in one spot able to be plucked off like a seagull's prey didn't mean that Amethyst was failing her duty to watch over Steven.

However, Amethyst having to keep Steven from danger and maintaining his well-being were two separate tasks. Pearl's command to "keep him safe" was easier to follow than both she and Garnet seemed to realize, and not just because of Amethyst's own reliability. Granted, that reliability was admittedly questionable, but that wasn't the point. Being the only one to realize Steven's aptitude was one of the many _unique_ aspects Amethyst didn't enjoy possessing.

For as often as Steven was supposed to be protected, he didn't really need as much protecting as everyone assumed. Judging by the stories of his "escapades" with that Connie girl he was so infatuated with, he could hold his own and then some. For a moment, Amethyst ignored the black gloom that took the majority of her vision, and recalled how Steven would always be so excited to tell the Gems about what he did, or how easy it was to do whatever magical action he recently discovered. More so when he was in his friend's presence.

It might've been short-lived, but the world around Amethyst seemingly brightened into a darker grey instead of jet-black in turn. The spectrum grew even less clouded when she accounted for Steven's pride, which Amethyst had no problem reciprocating. From what she's heard, that grin that managed to illuminate the cavern was well deserved, and then some. Even if Amethyst ruled out every one of the many, _many_ adventures he took part in on almost a daily schedule, she still found his progress nothing to sneeze at. Heck, now he didn't even bat an eye at being able to make his bubble on a whim.

And yet despite hearing and even _seeing_ the same exact Steven as the others, Amethyst was evidently the only one to consider him not needing a babysitter every other mission.

 _"Behold!"_ Amethyst suddenly heard in her mind as an apparition of herself momentarily appeared. The ghostly glow seemed to suck any increase of light that once held itself against the darkness. _"'Tis I, the ghost of hypocrisy's past!"_

"Go away,"the real one grumbled, attracting Steven's attention in the process. Amethyst half-consciously waved him away, saying that wasn't directed at him. That might've been enough to satisfy his curiosity if there was another potential target visible. Either way, he unsurely returned his eyes to the hunt for their companions and left whatever Amethyst was thinking to herself.

Yes, she was aware of essentially contradicting herself. Well, not essentially; she _did_ contradict herself. Here she was, complaining that Garnet and Pearl didn't give Steven a shred of the credit he wholly deserved, and only moments earlier, she hesitantly jumped at the chance to be that guardian he didn't need. Oxymoronic as it might've been, it wasn't entirely without reason. Sure, Amethyst knew he could face off with most anyone and emerge victorious, but that still didn't rid her of the persistent worry that was known as "concern." Came with the territory. Mentioning her worry about him to the very boy in question somewhat softened the blow of regret, though it was still present. Evidently, caring about Steven's well-being wasn't a bad thing, and even more evidently, being open about that care wasn't either.

And yet the blatant hypocrisy didn't fade in the slightest.

Call her crazy (it wasn't as though she hasn't been before; anyone's guess on whether she's been called that or actually had been crazy, but that's not the point), but Amethyst had thought that her decision to "play babysitter," as she'd put it, was due, in a way. As if it somehow made up for her consistent flippancy. Being able to laugh was nothing to regret, but _only_ being able to laugh wasn't exactly conventional nor needed 100% of the time. Hence the whole idea of being semi-serious about the situation. Simultaneously convenient and awful, their current shadowy environment provided the perfect prompt.

Just her luck, though, that her one opportunity to subtly show any kind of earnest resolution also involved accidentally bringing down Steven's spirits. Sure, she may've not been as generously loquacious in her speech as Pearl or perfectly concise as Garnet, but Amethyst still understood the concept of _why_ protecting him was the number one priority even if she didn't explicitly state it out loud. Whatever Gem beast they were going after would undoubtedly be something dangerous, and probably just the least bit scary. However, what she couldn't fathom was not being able to understand that _Steven_ could very easily keep himself safe. Half-consciously, Amethyst looked back to his chronologically present form, seeing the boy offer a calming grin along with some sincere words of encouragement.

Amethyst smiled back, agreeing with his faith in the competence of their companions. Turning back towards the direction where they most definitely were in, Amethyst's smile faded, making way for a surprised expression she barely managed to conceal. _"Huh,"_ she suddenly thought, eventually returning her eyes forward to the task that was supposed to be fearful. Or at the very least, unsettling. _"Guess he's my distraction. Who'da thunk it?"_

Further thought dissipated Amethyst's initial confusion at why her mind concerned itself with him; after all, it's not as though she didn't see him on a daily basis. Given the current predicament, it made sense. The only thing that wasn't a source of stress in the cruddy caves was, huge coincidence, the one thing that didn't worry her; the one thing she was unnecessarily told to watch over. Everything else either worried, bothered, or disconcerted her. Pathetic as it may've sounded, Amethyst didn't have many memories to fall back on, considering most of them involved the two (occasionally three) people she was trying to find.

Having a "go-with-the-flow" attitude prior to being presented a singular obvious option made an easy decision out of what to distract herself with, she guessed. Besides, she'd rather spend mental focus on nearly _anything else_ instead of concern herself with the awful imagining of what could've befallen the only other people Amethyst could somewhat comfortably call family. Not much good could come from that, and though her hair couldn't get any less saturated, she'd rather not tear it out.

Interestingly enough, that also seemed to explain why she dissected her thought's to such an extent. Now actively aware of what exactly decided to present itself to her mind, Amethyst forced a conscious effort on her part to maintain her search. Steven didn't seem to notice, being preoccupied with helping her look instead of paying attention to any subtle impression of what she might've been doing internally. She didn't mind his failure to give interest. Which made it all the more ironic when the next topic that wanted to be contemplated was derived _from_ his attention.

Whether the talk they'd shared minutes ago subconsciously influenced the tracks of her train of thought or it was an easy thing to think about, Amethyst's brain was drawn to it like a bee was to honey. Honestly, it hadn't strayed from her mind as far as she thought it should've. Then again, it had only been about seven or so minutes. And besides, it went along with what she learned a long time ago, that being the comparison of Steven to a "special case."

Not in any derogatory sense, mind, but rather a confusing (and somewhat pleasant) contradiction. Well, he _was_ family in every sense of the word that concerned Amethyst, but he was something else in the sense that Amethyst wasn't even aware a personality like his could genuinely exist. Then again, she'd be lying in saying she hasn't met genuinely nice people, but at the same time… though, he had… specifically speaking…

For a brief moment, Amethyst glanced back at her hand's captor, hoping that the visual reminder would come with more accurate vocabulary to use. Steven, despite how glaringly dreadful the current situation was, offered a smile once more. Only this time, his lips moved instead of strictly forming a broad "u."

"Is something wrong, Amethyst?" he politely asked, hoping more to put her fears at ease rather than be given the opportunity to do so. "You keep looking back all weird-like." Amethyst's steps hadn't faltered, though her features contradicted the idea her feet might've implied. Either way, she looked slightly startled to hear his inquiry.

"Mh… nah," she drew out, feigning interest in one of the countless golden stones that apathetically attempted to illuminate the caves. The next hesitation felt excessively obvious to Amethyst. "Just thinkin'."

A small paused followed, competing with her own. "Oh," Steven eventually stated, putting on (or at least trying to put on) his serious face again. Again, his attention was diverted back to the area around them rather than the more appealing person in front of him. Really though, pretty much anything would be more appealing than the area around them. "'Kay. I'll be here."

"Yeah, ya better…" Amethyst mumbled, oblivious to her own smirk.

Look, it just didn't make sense to her. The concept of Steven _being_ the way he was had seemed foreign to Amethyst. He should've been _too_ sincere, _too_ courteous to a point that was beyond realistic in every way. The current grip between them seemed to represent that excess almost perfectly well; tight, but not crushingly tight, as if it were more for her sake than his own.

It took a considerable amount of willpower to suppress her mini-ghost returning with a mocking _"Daw, guess he's not the one who needs a babysitter."_

And then there was how she visualized his motivation for holding firmly. It was an inexplicable exception of indifference _from herself_. Not that Amethyst was about to over-analyze something as simple as a grip (more often, the case was diametrically opposed) but she found that it represented her problem in the most conventional way. If anyone had done the same as he, then she would've (heck, should've) been insulted by a definite lack of faith. The idea of her being some damsel in distress was hilariously absurd, and Steven knew that well enough on his own.

If the fact that Steven had ignored her aptitude held any kind of humor, Amethyst didn't laugh. But at the same time…

Amethyst was not a trusting person, believe it or not. Her own personality dictated that most anyone with a behavior of generous consideration tended to have ulterior motives or some need for cover from their respective authorities. In Steven's case, the extent of naive, puerile innocence that reached far over where it should've been able to. Or at least, that's what Amethyst had learned about care such as his. And yet despite her extensive experience, Amethyst could never force cynicism onto anything he did; the talk they just had only minutes in the past had shown her why her previous attempts at doing so failed.

She _trusted_ him, seemingly more than almost everyone she knew.

This revelation was swiftly met with skepticism, which was then swiftly met with a reminder of what exactly transpired only nine or so minutes before. Not only did the reference to that conversation counteract Amethyst's instinct to ignore the obvious, but it shed some light on _why_ she trusted him in the first place. Because he wasn't faking it; Steven really _did_ have everyone's wellbeing in mind, somehow. He seemed that considerate because he _was_ that considerate. If there was anyone that knew how to help someone, much less Amethyst of all people, then it was easily him.

For a moment, Amethyst's mind went quiet, and she gave a little attention to the sounds of stone reverberating in a vacuum of noise. _"What a guy,"_ a delayed thought resounded. A small smirk at both Steven's authenticity and how easily she accepted the fact of his conciliatory nature inscribed itself on Amethyst's face.

Within a second, her smile then petrified into a troubled grimace when a yellow stone fell in the center of the vision she'd just been ignoring. The mere sight of it forced her back to reality, and subsequently the awful stress that came with it returned to her mind. As pleasant as thinking of the ray of hope that Steven was, Amethyst wasn't very pleased at the predicament she managed to get him in along with her. Not even a dozen minutes in, and she had managed to get both her and Steven utterly, completely, _totally_ lost. There was no beating around the bush, considering that they could've been walking in circles and would've been none the wiser. Scratch inconvenient; that was just plain pathetic.

Even more pathetic, now that Amethyst applied the slightest hint of thought, was realizing how stupid the idea of moving from where they were left was only after they executed it. Sure, they worried about Garnet and Pearl, but the two "authoritative" Gems could take care of themselves much better than Amethyst and Steven could. And yet despite their obviously greater aptitude, Amethyst had thought it a good idea to look for them instead of dismissing Steven's suggestion for the sake of common sense. Maybe it didn't sound so bad if she worded the situation like that in her head, but wording it like that also left out the fact that the caves they were searching seemed specifically _designed_ to get people lost.

And thanks to her prolonged realization, the window of time allowing them to simply return to where she and Steven were left (and probably supposed to still be) had passed. Who _knew_ where that location lay. Right now, their best bet was to meet back up with a still-intact Garnet and Pearl, use Garnet's future vision to find the warp pad, get out of the cave, and forget about everything that remotely referenced its existence.

Despite not possessing any form of a mirror, Amethyst was aware of her frown diminishing slightly in tandem with her footsteps.

 _"Eh…"_ she thought, taking a wider-than necessary arc around a uniquely large golden rock. Its presence made her a tad more aware of whom she was grasping. _"Maybe not everything_. _"_

A modest trip-up shoved her from the brief vacation of her mind and back to reality once again. Could anyone blame her for getting away from the harshness of the current situation so many times? For as often as she took part in it, though, Amethyst didn't think daydreaming was something she ought to do right about then. Whatever her future self would decide to do depended on whether or not _everyone_ got out of the cave, preferably intact. Inwardly groaning at her turn of desperation, Amethyst glanced at Steven. Like it was now designated protocol, he pulled his lips into a smile before asking what the matter was now. Or, more specifically, what matter she was thinking about. There were plenty of answers to his first assumption.

"Yell?" Amethyst responded with an uncertain enunciation, torn between telling him to use those lungs of his and asking if it was a good idea. Maybe he'd be able to decide for her. Not that she was some mindless sheep, but… suffice to say, there was a reason that she wasn't the leader of the group.

Steven blinked, somewhat taken off guard by her suggestion. Or question? The look on her face told him it was meant as a question, though she still appeared divided on the matter. For good reason; after all, there was a Gem they were trying to find in the first place. The last thing either he or Amethyst wanted to do was alert the likely nightmarish beast to their presence. However, emitting any kind of traceable tag that reached farther than sight could also be extremely beneficial, depending on the results of doing so. Weighing possible outcomes, Steven drew a breath, answering her in the process. Then he promptly coughed from inhaling an invisible amount of something besides oxygen.

An unavoidable snort shortly resounded from Amethyst. She patted his back empathetically, mentioning how she knew the struggles of using lungs despite not really needing them. With how serious and critical the current situation was, seeing Steven cough from an excessively hefty breath was easily a welcome relief. Try as he probably might have, Steven couldn't manufacture a frown that appeared even remotely authentic. A small smile etched onto his features, and he laughed along with a slightly embarrassed blush. A fair amount of chuckling and good-natured pushes on shoulders later, Steven drew another (slightly less great) breath, and–

–went quiet.

As if spontaneously materializing from behind him, some unrecognizable _thing_ clamped itself around his mouth, muffling whatever call he was about to give. Time blurred suddenly; in what might've been not even a fraction of a millisecond, adrenaline shoved itself into Amethyst's bloodstream, making her jerk the arm holding onto Steven. He was pulled free from the creature's grasp in an instant with an audible yelp, and the moment Amethyst gained the ability to identify he was out of harm's way, she followed up with the second thing instinct told her to do. Using the momentum from yanking Steven, she clasped her fingers shut in a tight fist, and _swung_.

If everything wasn't happening in the course of mere seconds, Amethyst might've been further disconcerted by the empty whoosh of air in the area she would've rather heard a solid strike.

 _"Easy!"_ a voice suddenly emanated from the direction Amethyst was quickly shuffling away from, Steven in tow. She hadn't dared remove her eyes from the assumed location, though a faint familiarity delayed her urge to ignore the commanding plea. Whoever the surprise third party was, they sounded simultaneously irked and calm in a manner reminiscent of reprimanding excessive force. Also familiar. The accent of distant reverberations was what eventually tipped Amethyst off on who held the voice, mostly because of how actually hearing it was too bizarre to initially believe.

Another blur of speed rushed past Amethyst, detaching from her arm so quickly it threatened to dislocate her shoulder. Her now-empty hand was left lingering in the air for a brief moment, hovering in a way that appeared as though she was lazily gesturing towards the boy clamped onto a surprised Garnet's leg. Sighing with a roll of her eyes (and a small curve of her smile), Amethyst returned her arm to her side. She was surprised herself to find her eyes inspecting the hand in question in an inexplicable hesitation, still a somewhat deeper purple in the areas Steven had gripped.

"Weird…" Amethyst muttered, not referring to the change of coloration.

Ignoring its vacancy, Amethyst took a single step forward—then used the last trickle of her adrenaline to deck whatever decided to make contact with her shoulder.

 _She_ wasn't even aware of what just happened.

One pained groan later, Amethyst gave a regretful apology to the kneeling form of Pearl, halfheartedly shrugging. The taller of the two held up a hand with a particularly harsher wheeze that supposedly acted as a warning not to say anything whatsoever. This was met with another shrug, along with some internal words of irritation making note of Pearl being the one to instigate Amethyst's punch with her unplanned arrival.

While Pearl regained the functionality of her lungs, Amethyst crossed her arms and looked back to Steven and his new anchor. The greeting between either of them could've gone far smoother and probably less violent, but regardless, Amethyst was glad to find her friends unharmed. Asking Steven if he felt likewise was so unnecessary that Amethyst had to catch herself from grinning too widely.

Much like a koala, the boy clung to Garnet's leg like his lifeline, stating both his extensive worry and relief in doing so. Garnet tousled his bouncy hair, then rose her eyes to Amethyst's. It was difficult for her to not utter a compulsory "Uh oh," being so used to trouble's presence.

That most likely wasn't a very good habit to have, but Amethyst impressed herself with that fact nonetheless.

"Glad to see you in one piece," Amethyst said in place of what her guilty instinct wanted her to say. Taking note of everyone's undamaged forms, Amethyst gave Garnet placid thumbs-up as she received a stoic "Likewise." Thankfully, the leader hadn't appeared too irked at meeting up with either one. Maybe Amethyst would get off easy this time, for once in her extremely long life. Beginning to relax from the tension of an incoming lecture, Amethyst sighed, offering a hand to Pearl after an admittedly prolonged hesitation.

Scarily enough, the once-in-a-blue-moon offer wasn't taken advantage of. Deterred, Amethyst retracted her hand again and looked back to the more comforting image of Steven latched onto Garnet's leg. Then the increasingly desperate Gem's smile diminished with each of Garnet's approaching steps. Amethyst couldn't even laugh at every other footfall being greater from Steven's added weight, an irksome seriousness falling back into place despite the grin still adorning Steven's cheeks. Once within talking distance, Garnet put her hands on her hips, looking down at the short Gem with her stoic equivalent of reluctant disapproval.

For a moment, a tense silence fell onto the Gems, excluding the last inhalant gasps of Pearl. Steven looked up at Garnet confusedly before looking back at Pearl with a relieved smile he only stowed away momentarily. Then Amethyst sighed, already knowing how this was going to play out. Resigning to her fate, she begun the inevitable lecture by saying a knowing "What?"

Not surprisingly, Pearl was the first to speak up. Her voice was slightly distorted from spontaneously being struck in the stomach, though the trademark "overbearing mother" trait hadn't lost its quality.

"Oh, you know 'what,' Amethyst," she stated accusingly. Right out of the gate and straight to the point. Normally, Amethyst would have some witty retort, considering she's had whole centuries of arguing experience _excluding_ the time between each verbal skirmish to cook up a proper response. But as familiar as the situation was, what with Pearl's glare and Garnet's interest in how Amethyst would justify her actions, some alien aspect made forming a more universal response a challenge. The result was a genuinely confused "Not really?"

Amethyst was no psychic, but she had a feeling Pearl wasn't prepared for something that authentic. No fallible logic or insult in place of an actual answer. This time she was given _an actual answer_ , and boy, she did not expect that. Unfortunately, Pearl managed to recompose herself before Amethyst could perfectly remember her stunned expression for later.

"You only had one task," she pressed on, ignoring Steven's look of intrigue at both of them. Pearl took a meditative breath, trying to calm herself. It would've been a trivial task had she not been suddenly struck only a few minutes before. "Just stay with him and wait for us."

If Garnet had anything to pitch in or say to the conversation, she kept it to herself. Perhaps it was annoyance growing exponentially, but the last statement from Pearl got to Amethyst more than usual. Growing irritated, she grumbled out an incoherent remark, crossing her arms. Pearl took advantage of the familiarity and testily asked her to repeat herself.

"I said," Amethyst began, turning back to her sparring partner, "that was a dumb thing to do, alright?" Out of the corner of her eye, she could witness Garnet now shrugging indifferently to the opinion, bouncing Steven in the process. It was confusing to see how that worked, but the effect made a lot more sense when Amethyst noticed that Garnet had put him on her shoulders at some point in time.

"Amethyst!" Pearl vehemently exclaimed, almost like an insult. That wasn't all the violet Gem wanted to say, but an irksome hesitation allowed Pearl to get more words in before she was able to. "I'd hardly think _protecting_ him is a poor course of action!"

"Okay, okay," Amethyst tried defusing in response, hoping to find a way to reliably word her thoughts. Sighing, she threw her hands behind her head, asserting a languid pose in order to counteract her atypically willing accountability. "Cool your jets, I know it ain't, but…"

Above the far echoes of Amethyst's own voice of uncertainty, she could hear Steven mumble something before Garnet whispered something to quiet him. Focusing on the argument she was supposed to be taking part in, Amethyst opened her mouth to explain what she intended to get across. "Look, I meant—"

Pearl cut in, sounding more aggravated than what would've qualified as reasonable. "Meant what?" Heedless to the defensive hand raise from someone who'd more commonly form a fist than an open palm, she continued further with that mightier-than-thou scowl that always managed to get on Amethyst's nerves. "Do you really think Steven would've been safe on his own?"

It was the specific wording of the question that forced an answer out of Amethyst, given how conveniently it had been composed. Without any kind of mocking manner, Amethyst nodded seriously, saying "By now, yeah."

As the three words echoed out of earshot, Pearl's weapon of an expression fell away, being replaced by one of incredulity. A brief pause passed, shortly followed by Steven rather than Pearl. "Wow," he began, wearing a wide grin. He craned his neck over Garnet's cube of hair to look down at Amethyst from atop his sentient mountain, looking flattered (for a reason). "Thanks, Amethyst!"

The Gem looked up at his simper, and copied it without much active thought. "You are a-welcome," she proudly stated with an over-dramatized bow. In response, Steven chuckled lightly, and was joined in only seconds. Unfortunately, Pearl cut in before Amethyst could forget that she was supposed to be in trouble.

"Look, even ignoring Steven's own ability…" she halfheartedly trailed off, some of her irritation leaving her voice. If Amethyst was feeling particularly sour, she might've visualized the slight hesitation in Pearl's speech as desperation. But instead, a feeling of particular empathy had caused her to reason that the current mission was taking a toll on Pearl's inherently stressed mind. She never did take well to a challenge when it involved such dire stakes, and when Steven's well-being was involved, the total sum wasn't exactly relaxing.

Frowning, Amethyst blinked at the new tracks her train of thought decided to use. Speaking from experience, making excuses for other people didn't contribute to the reputation Amethyst had been establishing since… forever.

Oh man, was Steven rubbing off on her? Already?

"This mission is obviously more dangerous than many of our others," Pearl eventually continued with a shake of her head. Right, Pearl was talking. "I would say that it's already proven a challenge so far, and we haven't even discovered what kind of opponent we're facing yet. If we're struggling, then Steven…"

The thin Gem sighed in a combination of frustration and repentance, looking at Steven apologetically. She obviously didn't want to say any more for the sake of avoiding anything that could potentially break Steven's spirit, but the message was still present. It didn't appear to have too much of an effect on him, only causing him to halfheartedly shrug in reluctant agreement. "Yeah," he sheepishly said, finding their current surroundings as evidence enough.

Having received the message, Amethyst gave a hum of the same nature of Steven's shrug. She exchanged a silent look of concern with him before admitting that maybe this specific mission didn't exactly offer the coziest opportunities for anyone. Any Gem left alone in the cavern would have more than a little trouble making it out on their own, even Garnet. Regardless of who was capable of doing what, Amethyst tried wrapping up the conversation for the sake of both convenience and survival.

"Fine, I guess I can… see where you're comin' from," she said, attempting to wave off her irritation for the time being. Getting the others to realize Steven's strides was a separate objective from their target, and one just seemed a bit more important than the other. Amethyst looked at Garnet, still unable to read her expression accurately. A little unsettling, to say the least. "Can we just find this Gem thing and be done with it?"

Garnet finally showed some indication of sentience and nodded dutifully, reaching up to place Steven back on the ground. His small smile diminished at this. As he sulked back towards his assumed place beside Amethyst, Garnet gave a quick look to Pearl before stating that the creature's close proximity was growing nearer.

"Oh, for real this time?" Amethyst sarcastically stated. Rather than another apology (which in Garnet's case was a placid shrug of her shoulders) the leader nodded again, turning around to face some direction in the darkness. Without warning, her gauntlets appeared around her hands, now closed in tight fists. It didn't do much to alleviate the tension, instead strengthening it. Steven gave a small "Oh," and transformed his expression into a forced frown of seriousness. It didn't accomplish what Amethyst assumed was his intended purpose.

"Alright," Pearl said, doing the same as Steven, only successfully. She quickly drew her spear, following Garnet's example, and took behind the fusion. The argument between her and Amethyst had ended before it could get worse, but at the same time, not being able to state what she wanted to at an ideal time for intervention had left Amethyst somewhat unsatisfied. Hopefully the topic wasn't buried forever, and she could return to it at a more opportune time. Sighing, Amethyst decided to join the crowd, and brought out her whip with an unenthusiastic flourish, gripping it with reluctance.

She examined her hand for a moment, then looked back to a curious Steven. An unusual quiet was brought about for a moment before Amethyst took the first step towards her teammates. "You comin'?" she rhetorically asked, walking backwards.

Steven looked thoughtful for a second, obviously pondering something. Amethyst didn't jump at the opportunity to guess what, a bit confused by what thoughts currently bounced around in that noggin of his. After a small hum, he shut his eyes purposefully. Some seconds of nothing passed, but a few more let Amethyst observe that they'd never been nothing in the first place. The few steps she'd been taking slowed down to a halt as she noted how pink and yellow seemed to counteract each other perfectly.

It took an admittedly impressive amount of will power for Amethyst to avoid calling Garnet and Pearl back from the edge of gloom. The way she saw it, Steven deserved his smug pride, not her. At least, not for now. Steven's eyelids parted, and he grinned at Amethyst with both appreciation and satisfaction. "Yep," he stated happily, gripping his shield. A few steps forward, and the two of them resumed walking behind Pearl, ready for whatever threat faced the _four_ of them.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hey, second chapter down! Thanks a ton for even reading this much; I know not everyone really enjoys this ship, but I'd like to think _you_ do, since you read two chapters already. See you in the next chapter, yeah? Have a good one!


	3. Catalyst

**A/N:** Chapter three, here it is. Oof. I'm gonna be honest; I consider this the worst chapter out of the eleven, for a multitude of reasons. I ain't gonna be mad if I lose you here; I've been meaning to revise the majority of this and _still_ haven't gotten around to it. And now that this story is finished, well...

Quality aside, I still hope you enjoy this chapter as well as the others. I'll say upfront that the quality and length of the chapters are the most consistent things, but maybe you won't mind? I'd like to think so. Read on, and have a great day!

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _III: Catalyst_

Surprisingly, the Gems managed to find their enemy before it had found them.

After what could only be described as the most conflictingly tense walk Steven had experienced for all of a few dozen seconds, a sharp gasp progressively worked a way down the line of Gems as each discovered the nightmare that was their enemy. Or at least, they gasped at coming face-to-face with the creature. Visibly laying on the edge of darkness, it appeared to be an extended shadow at first glance. Not surprisingly, the Gem-beast camouflaged near seamlessly into the environment, but thanks to the heightened senses of the Gems' leader, Garnet had managed to stop the others before making their presence known through proximity.

Getting the message, each Gem looked on at the cavern's sole resident. The creature that had been the source of so much projected terror lay before their eyes, finally showing itself after a half hour of elusive hiding. The yellow stones sparsely dotted through the cavern gave an eerie shine to the animal's ebony fur. No longer were the Gems worrying or imagining how fearsome the beast would be; now they had a first-hand showing to its gruesome, horrifying, terrible form.

And that nightmare only purred contently in oblivious sleep.

Not a single Gem dared to move an inch, near-petrifying their muscles to quiet the crunch of pebbles underfoot. That left Steven in a forcibly awkward half-step as he attempted to look past Amethyst in order to see more of the "beast." Unlike what they'd first assumed, the sudden stop was more due to surprise than anything else. The others looked on in a similar fashion to Steven's curious incredulity, each attempting to accurately gauge the creature. Each Gem stared with varying degrees of disbelief, ranging from relieved expressions to anxious ones. Displaying the former, Steven reflexively released a whispered "Daww…" at the small animal rather than the devilish target.

"Shh!" the others automatically shushed him, having more experience and subsequently doubt at the small cat's supposed innocence. Again, the dire feeling was diminished with each Gem that stood further to the rear of the group; meaning that while Garnet had retained the severe approach to the situation she'd initially begun with, Amethyst was somewhat reluctant to quiet Steven.

"No sudden movements," Pearl quietly verbalized as a means of ensuring no further surprises beyond the creature's appearance. If she'd looked back, she'd find her command somewhat unnecessary. Steven had already assumed a silent stance and forced his hands outwards to stay atop his sole foot. Trying to equally distribute his mental focus between the cat and his balance took more work than he would've admitted to, but it was worth the sight.

Amethyst had a feeling Pearl's message was more out of habit than importance, but that hadn't decreased its redundancy. Though the serious tone Pearl used could've been applied for Steven's sake, Amethyst had to remember that despite the considerable range in mission experience between herself and him, stern caution was something that they both seemed to warrant. Who knew why? Recalling the boy, Amethyst tore her gaze away from the adorable tabby and quickly turned her head back towards Steven regardless of what Pearl had said.

When she was graced with the sight of Steven holding in his ardor at the feline's petite size as well as his balance, Amethyst stifled half a giggle at the expression she was faced with. It had almost seemed as though Steven was trying to siphon some of the cat's unique charisma onto himself… some… how. The expression made more sense in Amethyst's head. After obtaining his attention with a few oddly delayed and almost hesitant snaps, Amethyst silently shrugged at him, conveying an understanding message of agreement. Finding a similar captivation in the cat might've been part of why she and Steven usually received the same lectures so often.

Making sure his balance hadn't faltered, Steven grinned and returned Amethyst's shrug with a bounce of his own shoulders, stating the irony found in discovering nothing more than a cat as the awful beast. Apparently, Steven's ability to read others was shared, as Amethyst made a humored grin followed by a swiping motion with her free hand, warning him of the dangers of itchy kitten scratches with a humorously fatal expression. This awarded her the sight of Steven imitating a ferocious meow in silence. Amethyst, still facing Steven, feigned a horrified faint, adding to the abrupt conversation she found herself engaged in. Not to her surprise, he giggled, and joined in the charade.

Meanwhile, Pearl unsurely gripped her spear, and craned her neck around to get a better view of Garnet's features. Pearl then remembered Garnet was not one to show her thoughts very explicitly. The dark woman put her hands together, both thinking and envisioning potential outcomes. Evidently, she didn't pay any mind to the exchange currently occurring between Steven and Amethyst, as did Pearl. A few moments later, the leader put a quiet finger to her lips, signaling the others to remain silent. The message would've been more efficacious if the gauntlets adorning her hands weren't there. Still looking at the sleeping feline, Garnet ushered a small order under her breath, not daring to take her eyes off the cat's form.

Nodding, Pearl obliged, and gave the same command to Amethyst, following Garnet's example and maintaining her ready weapon. Amethyst probably could've moved the message further and tell Steven what to do, had she been paying attention to the message in question. Instead, she feigned a dramatic swoon over the hero that was Steven, pretending to praise his conquering of the terrible tabby. Still focused forward rather than observing the improvised story the other two had conjured up, Pearl silently took a step backwards as Garnet did the same.

Amethyst didn't.

If there was anything Amethyst learned by now, it was that two people can't take up the same space at the same time. Try as she might, the laws of physics made sure of that. So, of course, she could understand what the result of an unexpected bump against another person would be. However, this information was useless unless Amethyst could do something about it; and given her currently diverted attention, she couldn't. Suffice to say, she was surprised by the awkward bump caused by Pearl's movement. Had she paid mind to the other two people occupying the cavern with her, Amethyst might've at least been able to catch herself from falling forward. But again, she didn't.

And in the same moment, Steven remembered the same rules of physics; coincidentally, from the same recent sources that reminded Amethyst.

Not long after both of their revelations of matter, a heavy thud echoed deep into the caverns, followed by an odd slap resembling the impact of palm against forehead. There would've been a matching groan, but Pearl still attempted to keep as much quiet remained.

"Okay," Amethyst grunted, making no attempt to stand up. She lay on the ground motionlessly, noting how this happened approximately three times too many in the past half-hour. A glare was directed sideways to Pearl before Amethyst vaguely remembered receiving some kind of direction from her. Again, she found herself somewhat more forgiving than usual. "So, maybe, that one's kinda on me."

Pearl, most likely out of habit, put a hand on her hip and prepared to reprimand Amethyst before remembering the creature they'd dubbed their target. Appearing dramatically appalled, she turned towards the animal, and thanked whatever powers may be that it hadn't appeared too perturbed by the sudden disturbance. Neither had Garnet, but if the fusion's stance could've become even more fixed, it likely would've. Pearl would've sighed in relief, though luck wasn't something she wanted to push. Instead, her disapproving gaze was returned towards Amethyst.

The violet Gem propped her palms onto the sooty ground before catching the stern reproach. "Should'a spoke up," Amethyst muttered in defense, finding the case to be less her fault than Pearl accused her of. It wasn't as though she distracted herself, or even that she purposefully ignored Pearl. Amethyst's failure to give mind stemmed from Steven more than anything else, so technically, she was off the hook. At least in the hypothetical moral sense (not that it counted for much, really). Shaking her head with a roll of her eyes, Amethyst was about to offer a compromising joke before she remembered that she wasn't the only one that had fallen. Her head instinctively jerked back a small distance upon recognition of the other victim of gravity, inadvertently returning to a distance deemed normal.

"Uh," Steven began, wearing a confused smile. Lying flat on the ground, he looked up at Amethyst, finding her with a similarly confused expression. Gravity pulled her hair towards him, creating a white wall around the edges of his vision so that all Steven could've seen with much detail was her. The sight held some bizarre aspect that Steven would've attempted to identify if he wasn't currently faced with Amethyst's… face. Whatever the unknown element was, it caused a brief bout of silent staring between her and Steven. The two looked at each other, both thinking of why the current situation denoted such extensive observation above most of everything else.

Then it seemed to simultaneously click that "Wait, this is a person, and people can see people looking at people."

One horribly noticeable pause of gawking later, both Steven and Amethyst remembered a world existed outside of them, and promptly set the record for being the most needlessly self-conscious in unison.

"Oh!" Amethyst exclaimed loudly, earning another stern glare from Pearl. Ignoring it, the short Gem offered a shaky apology in tandem with Steven, followed by some internal cursing at her own stuttering. Amethyst clumsily scrambled off of Steven and jumped to a standing position. Noticing it as somewhat unusual for her, she proceeded to "play it cool" as compensation. Not a half second after that, and she reached down a hand to help Steven up. There was a brief period not to be confused with a hesitation prior to Steven accepting the help, though neither tried to notice. They didn't succeed. They also didn't succeed at figuring out when they were supposed to let go of each other's hand, so they didn't do that, either.

Pearl, having watched the whole exchange with an unamused expression, curbed her aggravation and requested they step back in a forcibly polite tone. Since both Amethyst and Steven knew better than anyone else that voice was used only at the limit of Pearl's patience, they listened, and took a step backwards. Pearl took advantage of the space she'd previously expected to have been cleared and did the same. Amethyst and Steven were directed to watch the unperturbed cat alongside Garnet, most likely in case of something going horribly wrong. Despite how likely that had proved to be in Amethyst's past experiences, she still rolled her eyes.

Steven instead watched intently, raising his shield and attempting to forget about the odd awkwardness that just transpired. Having his finger's currently intertwined with Amethyst's made it somewhat of a difficult task. Another tense silence reclaimed its place as each Gem stood still in apprehensive anticipation, cautiously eyeing the cat. Then, a streak of red leapt towards the sleeping feline.

As prepared as Steven was, he certainly didn't expect Garnet to close the distance between her and the target as fast as she did. Though, even if he knew when she would move, Steven still wouldn't have been able to identify much of anything. One flash and surprised meow later, he witnessed Garnet triumphantly holding up a bubble, its surface gleaming with the shines of various yellow rocks.

What an epic battle.

"Wow," Amethyst said with a snort, stating her incredulity at how easy that was. Unlike Steven's relief, Amethyst appeared almost upset that the Gem hadn't lived up to its horrifying expectations. There was some semblance of a blow to the Gem's pride that their fear didn't turn out to be justifiable, evidently. Steven was kind of with her on that one, honestly. Though, while he could understand Amethyst's irritation at the cat being so easily defeated, he couldn't understand why Garnet appeared troubled, almost worried. Then he followed her gaze to the crimson orb held in her hands, and noticed it was empty.

This revelation worked its way to Pearl first, and later to Amethyst. As the dust settled in silence from Garnet's rocket-speed leap, Amethyst spoke up, thoroughly aggravated. Though all she said were two words, they carried an odd weight to them, as if somehow implying more severity than first realized.

"You missed?"

"I never miss," the leader said simply, still looking at her empty bubble with a contradictory puzzled expression. The others moved their vision outwards anyways, watching for any signs of the run-away tabby. Steven subconsciously noted how his shared grip between himself and Amethyst now seemed logical, but didn't really understand why it was worthy of notation.

"'Ey," Amethyst said after a delay, almost as if she had just misjudged what was worthy of notation in a similar manner to Steven. The short Gem (at least, the marginally second shortest) gave a shrug to Garnet. "No one's perfect."

If Garnet had anything to say in response, she kept it to herself. While the others watchfully surveyed the darkness around them, Garnet's plentiful eyes were transfixed on the empty orb she held in between her gauntlets, as if the answer would simply appear in its empty space. Pearl made sure Steven was with them, or at least with her before requesting Garnet's assistance. "Perhaps you could tell us where the… um, cat is?"

Disturbingly, Garnet shook her head silently and hummed a quick "no".

"I'm sorry?" Amethyst pardoned in surprise. She rose an eyebrow at the cryptic Gem, having some kind of desperate hope that this was one of the rare occasions where Garnet attempted to mess with them. The awful timing of her humor made that hope a little more realistic, given Garnet's usual mannerisms, but Amethyst still thought her hope as just a little futile. "Why can't ya see the thing _now?_ You had no problem literally a minute ago."

"This can't be right…" the fusion muttered after a weathered sigh. That wasn't much of an answer to Amethyst's question, but everyone knew it was about as good of an answer they'd get. Left without Garnet's aid, the other Gems squinted for any sign of their fleeting target. They certainly wouldn't notice if the feline was either a few feet away or hundreds, so they attempted to survey as much as they could in the dim yellow glow pulsing in the gloom. Eventually, Garnet lost interest in the air populating her bubble, and disenchanted it.

The same moment she did so, a change in the Gem's immediate vicinity finally took place, taking the form of a barely audible skittering. It was all Steven could do to suppress a yelp at the sudden noise, despite its low volume. Amethyst did the same, but more from her hand being forcibly compacted in Steven's. The boy didn't quite notice that. Steven turned towards the scratch's source simultaneously with the other Gems, and became confused when he found everyone looking at each other. Pearl frowned in conjunction with Amethyst at the stone below them. The floor, gray-brown boring as it might've been, had minuscule claw marks that could only belong to a certain cat.

"Wha…" Steven muttered with a raised eyebrow, turning his questioning face towards the others. Everyone had begun appearing more irritated than fearful from the Gem's lack of danger. Himself included, most likely. "You guys heard that too, right? The skitter-skatter?"

Steven's interesting recreation of the noise aside, Amethyst nodded, appearing just as confused as he was. Pearl and Garnet did the same. Rather than tighten the hand clutching her whip, Steven found Amethyst's grip on his own strengthen, firm but not to a crushingly uncomfortable degree. Maybe it was poorly repaid karma for when he accidentally attempted to meld hands with her. If so, then the lesson of not doing that again was diametrically implied. Again, Steven could find no logical reason why his brain focused on this particular detail, and resumed the search for the deceptive Gem target.

Pearl gripped her spear in the oppositely tight fashion to Amethyst's grasp, her knuckles losing what little color they might've possessed at one point. The glowing stones of the cave now seemed more insulting than foreboding. A simple cat was nothing to warrant travelling that deep into the earth, much less concern for Steven's well-being. Swallowing her pride, Pearl forced herself to admit that a cat probably wouldn't be caught dead this far underground. After all, Garnet was not one to mess around. Or at least, not one to mess around when it would've made sense. As much as she would like to believe otherwise, Pearl knew capturing the tabby was a worthwhile cause.

The tall Gem hardened her expression, returning her gaze outwards and finding an amusing contradiction between her want to find the odd Gem and her wish it never returned. Though it wasn't exactly what one would call threatening, it was obvious there was more to the creature than met the eye. And being this deep underground hadn't produced many imaginations of its supernatural characteristics being very benign.

This information seemed apparent to the others, as none of them had a stance that constituted reasonable defense against a ten pound tabby. Garnet glanced about, looking for any evidence to support the unsettled feeling in her stomach. Steven would've found similar assurance in knowing about a horror rather than the speculation of one. "You sure you can't read where it is?" he asked Garnet, hoping her future vision was being untimely out of coincidence. "Or see, or feel, or… however you know?"

Again, Garnet moved her head horizontally, indicating that whatever power that had led them to the Gem was no longer functioning. Not much could be seen through her reflective sunglasses, but her expression emanated the feeling of a frown regardless. "Something's off…" she said, not knowing what she was supposed to be suspicious of.

"Hadn't noticed," Amethyst responded. However fed up with the cavern as she was, Amethyst still looked about uncertainly, getting the same tense feeling Garnet had been receiving. Being underground in a dark, sooty cave was reason enough to feel on edge, but having an opponent loose in the undefinably expansive cavern made the tense feeling almost unbearable. The real nail in the coffin was knowing that the feline creature had some array of magical properties without knowing the extent of those properties. Amethyst muttered an equally annoyed and unsettled message to sum it up; "This sucks."

As bright as Steven tended to be, he found himself agreeing to her statement. It somewhat irked him that everyone had silently agreed to remain where they were, but not in the way of being upset at the others. More so, he was irked at knowing that was currently the best course of action. The risk of losing their target and subsequently spending at least another dozen too many minutes in the place was too realistic, especially with Garnet's inability to see where the odd cat was at the time.

However, Steven was proven to why that strategy had been used. If they'd been in the process of walking rather than giving a few minutes of waiting, he might've entirely glossed over the small pats on his pants leg.

Once again confused, Steven glanced downwards, finding nothing but the sooty rock to meet his eyes. Its stone surface dashed any hopes of the cat simply being playful. The most Steven's denim legs displayed was some blackened dirt from his recent fall. He cocked his head to the side, certain that he felt something come into contact with his leg but unable to tell what could've done so. Everyone's hands were currently occupied with some form of security from the unknown.

"Uh, guys?" Steven said unsurely, still looking downwards. They quickly turned their heads towards him, preparing to comfort whatever fears had finally gotten through to him. Steven looked up at them, reminded himself that whatever he said probably wouldn't constitute mental issues in that current context, and opened his mouth. "I just felt—"

Suddenly, his words were cut off by a slight scratch appearing on his chin.

"Ow!" Steven yelped, startled by the sudden cut. He rubbed at the small patch of skin with his shielded hand, then gasped as a light-bulb momentarily turned on above his head. A timely yellow bulb above him granted the same effect. Whatever Steven was going to tell the Gems was cut off again by another tiny scratch appearing on his cheek.

"Ow, ow!" he yelped again, more irked than afraid. Steven's hand finally left Amethyst's as he stumbled backwards, already swiping at his face and hoping to grasp the creature clinging to it. Though his shield carried no weight, it still made an awkward task out of avoiding a sudden self-inflicted head injury. More petty cuts drew themselves on his face in response to his attempts to catch their perpetrator, none too large to be fatal but having just enough size to sting. "Invisible kitten scratches hurt! Ow!"

Amethyst, though being the first to be dumbfounded by the occurrences making themselves known on Steven's boyish face, was also the first to understand what was happening. Later, she'd blame that fact on having a similarly imaginative mentality as Steven, but for the time being, she didn't bother thinking about why. Instantly, an angered frown adorned her features, and she launched an open hand towards where her gut had told her the cat was.

"Hey!" she exclaimed in response as her hand clasped around something furry, miraculously on the first attempt. Registering the cat's state of capture, she brought her cargo off of Steven's face and towards her own with a glare. Though that created some more cuts in Steven's face, it was a better alternative than leaving the cat there. Amethyst stared down the area where she assumed the cat's eyes would be, not being too gentle with her grip. Being unable to witness the cat's inherent cuteness was irrelevant in her disciplinary force. "Don't 'chu touch muh' Steven!" Amethyst scolded angrily.

Steven rubbed his irritated cheeks, offering a look of gratefulness to Amethyst. "Thanks," he said to her, then felt an arm on his shoulder. He looked up to see Garnet, who had apparently understood what was happening just a little after Amethyst but still appeared surprised. Surprised and apologetic, both by Garnet's standards.

"Sorry," she said to the hurt boy, wishing she'd teleported her bubble away rather than breaking it down. A gentle hand met one of Steven's deeper cuts, rubbing it softly. Steven hadn't appeared too perturbed by it, but accepted the contact anyways. "'S'alright," he affirmed in a tone not unlike Amethyst's. The boy grinned up at Garnet, happy that they'd finally found the Gem. More or less. "I can take a few cat scratches."

Eventually, Pearl did the same as Garnet, realizing the fusion had meant it when she stated she never missed. The thin woman bent down to Steven's level, assessing the damage in her usual over-dramatic fashion. Again, Steven wasn't about to criticize her care. "I apologize as well, Steven," she said after some time, looking worried. "None of us certainly expected the creature to do… that, but we should've know sooner."

"'S'alright," Steven simply repeated. He looked towards Amethyst, finding her in some kind of staring showdown against an invisible opponent. Even if he wasn't subconsciously bias, he would've stated Amethyst's imminent victory. Forget daggers; Amethyst could've been throwing broadswords with her eyes. Was she that upset? "At least it's just a cute ol' cat."

"Yes, well," Pearl partially agreed, glaring at its supposed location in a similar fashion to Amethyst. Perplexingly, not to as much of a severe degree. Steven honestly would've assumed the opposite occurrence. "It certainly isn't any kind of Earthen cat."

As convincing as the appearance it had first taken had been, Steven agreed, finding the creature's lack of appearance more convincing. Still, the young Gem took a moment to wish that some cats he knew, possibly including Lion, could go invisible at will before turning his head up towards Garnet. "That is the thing, right?" he inquired. While he was unable to see where the colored stone that projected the Gem's form was on the cat, he wasn't about to start doubting Garnet. That's proved to be rather silly a long time ago. "That cat's the Gem?"

Garnet crossed her arms and met his question with an answer only a fraction later than expected; a time that could only be considered a hesitation in Garnet's case. "Yes. But I expected something more…"

"…scary?" Steven filled in. He first envisioned such a deadly beast because of Garnet's description of an enhanced threat, though entering the caves swiftly made that only part of the reason why. He's seen enough scary movies (that he probably shouldn't have, but he didn't want to get Amethyst in trouble) to know that dark places are usually where the bad stuff is. Even if Garnet didn't possess her magical ability to see into the future, anyone would've imagined a deadly horror over some small tabby. "Cat's can be kinda scary, but I think this one's just cranky."

Garnet gave him a small smile, though the dire feeling didn't fully leave. Blaming it on the continuously foreboding surroundings, she shrugged off the feeling and accepted Steven's optimism. Pearl attempted to do the same, looking at Amethyst's deceptively empty hand with a grudging relief. However, she couldn't escape a feeling of tension, causing her to hold onto her spear just a little while longer. "Still," she muttered uncertainly, eyebrows furrowing. "There has to be some degree of danger to it, right?"

Steven hummed thoughtfully, finding some truth to Pearl's rhetorical question. His initial belief of the odd Gem's innocence diminished when he recalled finding some rather off-putting bones during his and Amethyst's unscheduled trek back to their friends. "Probably," Steven said with some reluctance. After all, even an invisible cat would have some trouble getting hundreds of feet underground. And he didn't even want to think about how _any_ bones ended up in the same place. The tense feeling slowly came seeping back to each of the Gems, each still in the state of speculation as to what exactly the cat could do besides hide from light itself. "So, we should probably… poof it, right?"

At his words, the cavern seemed to get somewhat gloomier than previously. "Yeah," Amethyst affirmed, turning back towards Steven. Knowing that he was "alright" didn't make the scratches adorning his face look any less painful, in turn intensifying Amethyst's despise for the tabby. Seeing Steven hurt once more, Amethyst semi-consciously tightened her grip on what was assumed to be the scruff of the cat's neck. In response, it hissed, which was somewhat of an odd sight when there was nothing there to hiss. Amethyst brought her face back towards it and booed in defiance, not really caring about its complaints.

Then a red line was etched horizontally across her nose.

"Ah!" Amethyst exclaimed from the sudden cut. Without much thought, she reflexively released her grip to clutch the wound, dropping the invisible cat to the ground with a thud. Garnet and Pearl, realizing how dire it could be to lose an unseen opponent for the _second time_ , instantly began making grabs at its probable location with differing objects of scorn. Steven did the same, minus the verbalization, only after he confirmed all Amethyst suffered was a minor scratch similar to one of his many own. Still, he somewhat lingered on joining in the sudden search.

"Amethyst!" Pearl groaned after the third fruitless grasp, resorting to sweeping the area with her spear in search of contact with the animal. She didn't offer more than one disapproving word, but even though Pearl's glare wasn't technically directed at Amethyst, the violet Gem felt it nonetheless. Rubbing her nose, she helped in finding the animal once more, her anger at the creature transcending into a more personal loathing. "Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, vowing not to be so gentle next time. "My bad. Next time I'll just—"

Amethyst stopped suddenly as she felt something touch her shoulder. As fast as instinct would allow, another hand shot towards it, prepared to apprehend the animal correctly that time. However, just as Amethyst was about to yell a triumphant "Gotcha!" she found that the cat had lost a considerable amount of fur since the last time she saw (at least, felt) it. Then she looked sideways, and found that she was currently crushing Steven's hand.

 _There's_ the karma he'd been expecting.

Technically, it didn't take Steven's pained expression being terribly suppressed to cause Amethyst to let go. It just helped speed up the process. "Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise for the second time, coincidentally along with the second time Steven had somehow managed to cause a complete mental shift from aggravated to apologetic. Weird how he had that effect on her. "Sorry, kinda jumped the gun there."

"'S'alright," he said with a grin so forced it could've been identified as lockjaw. Something told Amethyst he wasn't completely alright. With a few quick breaths, and some shakes of his hand that he instantly regret, Steven shakily asked, "Are you alright, though?"

Amethyst, about to ask the same thing despite his earlier answer, appeared startled at his inquiry. Was he really referring to the one scratch across her nose? Something about Steven being himself removed any kind of inadvertent insult he could've accidentally insinuated by asking if she was okay after getting scratched by a kitten. Still, Amethyst rolled her eyes. "Yeah," she said with a snort, "I think I'll survive. I believe in miracles."

Carefully massaging his hand, Steven proceeded to test the limitations of accidental belittlement by insisting his question. "Are you sure?"

Amethyst sighed, thinking that while Steven might've been the most caring person she's met this side of the universe (ba-dum tsh), he was smarter than to think she would be mortally wounded by a cat's insignificant scratch. Sure, it tingled a tad, but she accidentally did worse to herself on a daily basis, much to his flattering dismay. But before Amethyst could state a deadpan "Really?" to get an explanation out of him, Steven added more words to his question with increasing concern. "'Cause the scratch's looking… bigger. Uh…"

Now that caused Amethyst to frown. "Whaddya mean…" she trailed off before looking downwards at her nose. It was somewhat of an awkward angle, but even from there she could see the line in finer detail than before. The effect was almost as if it was closer to her eyes. No, not closer. Like Steven had confusingly stated, the scratch appeared... bigger.

Both she and Steven stared at the enlarging line, as if it was transitioning to more accurately fit a tiger's scratch than a cat. It didn't really hurt, if only cause a bit of irritated discomfort. Whatever toxin or acid-like substance that caused the cut to transform in such an odd way didn't have the sting one would associate with eating away at skin. While that had ended up being less painful than anticipated, it'd also ended up being more weird. And, believe Amethyst, it was plenty weird in the first place. The scratch gradually ceased its expansion just before it's jagged points reached Amethyst's cheekbones, leaving a dark violet scar across her face.

In the odd quiet, Amethyst could see Garnet and Pearl join Steven's position in her peripheral vision, but still focused on what had seemed negligible at first. Eventually, after about a minute of perplexed gawking, Amethyst curiously reached up a hand to the odd wound. Then she whipped it away with a hiss of pain. "Okay," she said, as if confirming some suspicion, "That's still fresh. Ouch."

"What…" Pearl began, then thought of too many things to fill the rest of her confused statement. Choosing "why" as a starter didn't narrow her options, either. What she decided was to scowl at the darkness surrounding them, and silently continue looking for the cat with a newly reclaimed determination. Steven looked at the driven woman before turning back to Amethyst, looking more concerned than before. To Amethyst, that was a considerable feat.

"That's kind of a… weird thing for a cat to do," Steven affirmed, gingerly putting a hand on Amethyst's face (obviously not on the dark line of violet adorning it) and attempting to investigate the damage. Garnet shook an armored finger sideways, reminding him that whatever they were dealing with wasn't some standard tabby. She resumed her search alongside Pearl, now daring to reach the edge of visibility rather than staying rooted to one spot. Steven had gotten the feeling she was getting more open to the idea of splitting up again, if only to put an end to the cat before it opened up any more unexpected cans of worms.

Amethyst, internally making a face at how she logged Steven's touch as something other than useless information in her brain, looked down at the boy's face. Then she made a face in reality as well as her mind. "What makes you so special?" she questioned with mock jealousy, crossing her arms.

Steven gave her a confused expression before realizing what she was referring to. His hand made to touch the own scratches on his face before remembering his shield would bump Amethyst's jaw before then. So he didn't touch his face, but still knew that his small scratches had remained their size. "I'unno," he stated honestly, shrugging. "Lucky?"

"Psh," she said with a wave. Despite the potentially dire situation, and actually dire surroundings, Amethyst still felt her lips form a smirk. "If anyone's the lucky one, I'm pretty sure it's—"

Suddenly, a physical point of contact was felt on her shoulder. Considering what the earlier one was, Amethyst whipped her head around to look at the contact before seizing it, inadvertently smacking Steven's face with her hair. The boy stumbled backwards, smacking the strands out of his mouth. Amethyst would've apologized if she had found what had just touched her. The thing is, she didn't. A considerable weight was literally felt as she realized its origin, this touch being closer to her collarbone. A partial "Wha—" of confusion at the creature's positioning was all Amethyst could get out before one more point of contact was felt.

Staring on her Gem, a sharp touch raked itself across the shiny surface, taking some of the jewel with it.

* * *

Garnet, calculating the cat's position within milliseconds, launched into a hay-maker directed downwards. Moving past Amethyst allowed her to put in as much force deemed necessary, that being all of it. Whatever creature there might've been at one point dissipated into dust against a dull yellow rock, only leaving a small, sulfur-colored stone behind. The tiny geode clattered to the ground before the cavern returned to a silent state.

Deathly silent.

Quietly, Amethyst looked down at her Gem, not used to the sight before her eyes. The purple rock was there, but a good portion of it could no longer say the same. A deep, scar-like gash was etched into the stone, resembling a cut much more severe than one some cat could achieve. Her downward gaze caught the small portion of Gem that had been forcibly severed from the majority before the chunk dissipated into dust.

"Well," Amethyst said, bringing a shaking hand to her chest. "Da—"

The next sound resounding through the caves was a dull thud as her lifeless body hit the ground.

There was something about the terrible noise that forced Steven out of shock. He couldn't tell what he shouted; her name, most likely, or some word of defiance. Any kind of denial that contradicted the sight before his eyes. Whatever it was, his cry was paired with panicked footfalls echoing into the caves. They drowned out the subtle rush of air as Garnet spun her vision back towards Amethyst, but his quickened steps couldn't win out over the clattering of a spear as it fell to the ground.

Sliding next to her, Steven looked over Amethyst's body, kneeling in front of her form and finding it sickeningly still. With another unknown cry, Steven turned her onto her side in fear. Seeing the gouged Gem in her chest up close tightened the growing knot in his stomach, and he looked at her features for some kind of animation. He paid no mind to Pearl's similarly unrecognizable cry upon her witnessing Amethyst's wound, finding it much quieter in his mind than in his ears. In the dim light of yellow, the distant look on Amethyst's face appeared almost ghoulish, resembling the face of the… deceased.

Again, the drastic thought tore Steven from his distress. It certainly didn't rid him of his panicked feelings, but they were momentarily overtaken by a sense of determination held together through desperation. Being sourced from the feeling of hopelessness, Steven moved closer to Amethyst's face and took a deep gulp, attempting to calm his voice. The world was so diametrically quiet compared to his internal panic, but he still had trouble noticing Pearl's slow, solemn footfalls approaching.

"Amethyst?" Steven said, almost too quiet to be heard. He wasn't sure what he was hoping to earn in response; really, any response would've sufficed. The way her eyes looked empty, how her body lacked any kind of movement whatsoever… Steven didn't often learn what a damaged Gem could induce, but he never wanted to be educated on the matter. Now it seemed that things could go much, much worse than his first experience.

Some time passed; maybe it was a few seconds, maybe a few days, Steven couldn't tell. An agonizing delay later, Amethyst showed some sign of consciousness. Her eyes barely moved towards Steven, a kind of grave exhaustion reflecting off them. Registering the face before her, Amethyst's expression changed to one he's never seen before. While the physicality of the situation nearly deadened any facial signs of emotion, their magnitude was instead amplified despite their subtly. At least, this one was. Steven felt his heart skip one rapid beat the moment he recognized Amethyst was scared.

His brain didn't accept the use of "Amethyst" and "scared" in the same sentence, but the sight before him forced otherwise.

Steven lay a hand on her side, half-consciously gripping it. While the action did reassure him, that certainly wasn't the intended effect. "H-hey," Steven stuttered out, attempting a brave tone. He found his mouth moving of his own accord, skipping the step of thinking prior to voicing his thoughts. "You… you're gonna be fine. Okay?"

Quietly, Steven heard Pearl agree almost under her breath alongside Garnet's more deceptively calm tone. Amethyst looked at him with the same tired, vacant look in her eyes, momentarily meeting the other heartening faces behind him. After another delay considerably shorter in length, she took a deep gulp and hummed acknowledgement, giving the slightest indication of a nod. Regardless of her answer, Steven closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus. He hardly noticed the similarly hopeful hands placed on his shoulders, too concentrated on Amethyst to pay the outside world much mind. Still, their encouragement was felt as much as their own worried hope.

"Okay," Steven breathed out. This was going to be fine, really. No real danger. All he needed to do was heal her Gem, and she'd be as good as new; just a quick lick of his palm. At the very least, all he needed was for his restorative abilities to function. With how dire the current situation was, there wasn't much room to doubt their reliability.

However, as much as he believed in his optimism, Steven's skin nearly recoiled at the dense feeling of worry emanating from Pearl. Attempting to counteract it, Steven offered a nervous smile to Amethyst, which was later reciprocated after another off-putting delay. The exchange ended up having as much relaxation as there was tension, vice versa between the two of them. Shaking his head, Steven eyed his palm, hesitating.

"This'll work," he said out loud, to himself as much as everyone else.

Anxiously, Steven licked his palm, and would've hesitated again if Amethyst wasn't currently incapacitated before him. Still holding onto her with his other hand, Steven pressed his supposedly healing substance against wound adorning Amethyst's Gem. Not that he intended, but his grip on her tightened just a tad, ironically finding more reassurance in the person he was supposed to be reassuring. Steven made a conscious effort to be patient with the potential effects of his spit, but it was likely in vain. The effects of time couldn't reliably be gauged as consistent.

However, Steven apparently suffered enough tribulations, because he had actually earned some solid effect from Amethyst nearly the moment his palm met her Gem. No longer was there some delay; only seconds after contact with her Gem, Amethyst's eyes visibly widened, regaining some of the energy Steven was so used to seeing in her. He let out the air he didn't know he was holding, pulling his lips into a smile as Amethyst recovered some of the color she'd just lost. Just as she began to imitate Steven's grin, however, her revitalization proved to have an odd side effect.

In the span of a few moments, Amethyst displayed her reclaimed vigor by striking away Steven's arm with a bizarre yelp. His touching hand was swatted away in a similar fashion before Amethyst purposefully shoved Steven backwards, propelling them both a few feet from each other. He could barely register confused eye contact with her before Amethyst scrambled back another few feet for good measure.

A few tense seconds passed. Some yellow stones pulsated lazily as Amethyst stared directly at Steven, seemingly ignoring the other two appalled faces that stood above him. Her quick, short gasps of air seemed more out of some kind of anxiety attack than a sudden need for oxygen.

Speechless by Amethyst's actions, Steven met her stare with mixed feelings, most of which could be summed up as surprise. Confusion, sure, but mostly just surprise and incredulity at Amethyst's drastic evasion. Just a few moments before, she had been on the edge of her mortal coil, and now she sat upright, gasping in some panicked manner while her eyes dug into Steven. Not that he felt accused of attempted murder, but Amethyst's expression seemed to ask "What did you do to me?" in genuine shock. Not paying any mind to the bruise forming on his forearm, Steven tentatively pitched a single word in order to get things back to familiarity. "Amethyst?"

"What did you do to me?" she voiced with a noticeable waver, sounding genuinely shocked. Apparently, Steven could still understand her fairly well.

Everyone in Steven's group frowned in separate manners; Garnet was thoughtful, Pearl was dumbfounded, and Steven was concerned. "Amethyst," a voice begun, surprisingly Pearl this time rather than Steven. She hesitated for a moment before her expression begun leaning more towards Steven's. "Are you… alright?"

Amethyst whipped her gaze to the thin Gem, her intakes of air gradually slowing. The reaction one would expect was still delayed in Amethyst's case, but this pause thankfully felt like more of a cognitive reboot than the other fatally worrying pauses. Eventually, Amethyst gulped, appeared to count to ten, and answered her question with another quaking inquiry. "Am I s'possed to be?"

"I believe so," Pearl said with a nod, though still appeared troubled. She leaned down and tapped Steven on his shoulder to grab his attention. The young Gem looked up at her curiously, his face's expression tied with her's. "You did heal her Gem, correct?"

"Mhm," Steven answered, turning back towards Amethyst. He assumed that his saliva had succeeded when Amethyst's overall energy had been restored. The concerning languidness had certainly been retired, but the brief moment of panic that took its place left some residual cause for worry. The feeling of disquiet intensified when Steven found Amethyst's expression returning to the initial shock she had when first faced with the Gem creature's attack. He followed her odd downward gaze, and gasped.

"You, uh, sure you healed me?" Amethyst said in disbelief, her gaze still directed to the large gash across her Gem.

* * *

 **A/N:** WOW. Isn't this just a total lack of justification or answers for anything that happened? Whoops. I guess you'll just have to click on the next chapter to find out what's going on. :3


	4. Epiphany

**A/N:** Oh, you're still here! I swear I'm not one to usually black-mail, honest. I think that based on the chapter title, you can figure out what's going on in this chapter. I forget if this is the longest chapter or another one is. This one is also one of my favorites, for obvious reasons. Enough of me rambling, let's get to the good stuff! Remember to smile! :D

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _IV: Epiphany_

"Well," Steven began unsurely, eyeing the sizable slash in Amethyst's Gem. It'd appeared that he didn't heal her at all, much to his dismay. The cut in her Gem was as worryingly large as always, and yet instead of some backwards speech or minor bodily disassembling, Amethyst suffered no ill effects beyond the oddness of not suffering any ill effects. "That's what my spit does, right? Heal things?"

Steven's rhetorical question fell on deaf ears as Garnet and Pearl looked at the same wound. Despite his attempt to restore the part of Amethyst's Gem that had been cut away, the cat's (or whatever it'd been; calling it a "cat" no longer seemed logical nor warranted) attack still displayed itself prominently on the shiny surface. That fact was plenty alarming on its own, but the contradictory effect gave bizarre fascination in tandem with concern to the Gems. Amethyst, being the curious Gem that she was, tentatively put a hand on her wound, feeling the sharp break in the stone with a mixture of unease and interest.

Even in the dim yellow glow of the cave's more luminescent stones, Amethyst had no problem discerning the gash in her Gem. A jagged cut weaved its way across the purple surface, giving off pale refractions that looked almost too much like wispy phantoms. The worse part was that there didn't seem to be any actual consequences of having such damage.

Steven would've agreed, finding a conflict in being either happy or worried. On the one hand, Amethyst looked far better than she'd been just moments before, save for her Gem. No longer was she lying still on the ground, her features colorless and empty. Now she sat upright, her eyes full of a new fascination with how she could still see and have a damaged Gem simultaneously. On the other hand, Amethyst still had a damaged Gem. While it didn't appear to have much of an effect on her vitality post-spit, it still faced a state one usually associated with grievances.

"How is that possible?" Pearl questioned aloud, voicing one of the many concerns shared by the others. She squinted at the purple stone, as if the large gash was nothing more than a blur in her vision. Unfortunately, it wasn't. "In all my years, I've never seen… that."

The tall Gem took a tentative step towards Amethyst, but still stood unsurely. If she was being honest, Pearl was waiting for something terrible to transpire. Not necessarily a suspense she wanted, but rather a suspense she wanted to be over with. Ideally, Steven's spit should've just had a major delay, closing up the wound and returning it to its pristine condition after a lengthy pause, but nothing "ideal" seemed to happen since they first entered the caves. Heck, the concept of something going in Pearl's favor seemed to be taunting her, what with how perfectly fine her friend now appeared. "There's… _something_ wrong," she said, trying in vain to discern the problem.

Although it wasn't the most specific statement of confusion, Pearl's disbelief was worded about as well as anyone could currently get. Even Steven could tell that a functioning Gem (the person) with a damaged Gem (the jewel) was a rare anomaly. He might've found some comfort in being fortunate enough to see Amethyst experience this anomaly, were the current surroundings less ominous. Something about being surrounded by an unnaturally dark fog deep underground as mysterious yellow stones pulsated made Amethyst's condition a little unnerving. As if there was more to her restored state than met the eye.

"Did I do that?" Steven inquired with a sudden frown. His healing ability had proven to be inconsistent before; what if this was some kind of half-functioning effect? The surroundings could probably be enough to mess with Steven's head, as had happened before. Instead of perfectly restoring something to its original state or just being a usually unwelcome substance, what if his spit had met in the middle, so to speak? Amethyst's energy had been healed back up, sure; her panicked scrambling away from Steven showed enough of that on its own. But at the same time, somehow, the physical damage of Amethyst's, well, amethyst was still there, jarringly prominent as always.

Suddenly, Steven gasped. "What if I made her a Gem _zombie!?"_

A short pause followed Steven's worried outburst. Pearl hummed. For the first time in his life, Steven heard Garnet cough. It didn't sound very authentic.

"Rude," Amethyst huffed in response. "We zombies prefer the term _'mortally challenged'."_

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Pearl quickly stated, hoping to put an end to that theory before it could get too seriously considered. It was more important to do so than initially assumed, considering both Steven and Amethyst's… like-minded mentalities. "I'm certain that Amethyst's condition isn't entirely of your doing, Steven."

Steven, somewhat disappointed that he had to cross "magical evil scientist" off his potential career options, felt that he was still responsible for a large majority of Amethyst's current state. That brought about as much relief as guilt to him. Still worried, Steven looked at Garnet, who'd fallen into a thoughtful silence. Steven noted how the only reason her silence seemed more conspicuous than usual was the environment before speaking up. "But… did I actually heal her? Like, really really?"

Amethyst looked up from her Gem momentarily. "I wanna say yeah," she tried encouraging, but fell short upon further thought. Much as she would've loved to ignore how severe the damage in her Gem appeared, something about how literally broken the jewel was made that a difficult task. More so when she noticed one of the pulsing rocks nearer to her held a disconcerting crack in it. Combined with how cold the inside of her Gem felt, Amethyst believed a little worry at her potential state was still warranted. "But… I- or, at least, it doesn't feel right."

Steven turned his worried gaze back to her, feeling a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. It didn't do much to alleviate his troubled expression. Garnet moved her head just a handful of degrees towards the hopeful boy, choosing her words carefully.

"Technically…" the fusion began before trailing off, looking uncertain. A few seconds after her single word, each Gem snapped their gazes to her with a newly found unease. When _Garnet_ appeared at a loss, there was definitely cause to worry. She hummed, still looking at Amethyst in a way that probably wasn't intended to be nosy, but was still felt in that regard. "Yes and no. She appears restored, but her Gem is still damaged."

Amethyst, attempting to shake off the accusing feeling from Garnet's gaze, frowned at the dark woman. Even after remembering the more Sapphire-like qualities she tended to utilize in dire situations, Amethyst couldn't fully erase an odd, almost paranoid guilt. "Yeah, we kinda already knew that," she shakily affirmed, hand still feeling the oddly cool edges inside her Gem. "Thanks."

Garnet placidly shrugged, then suddenly stiffened, remembering something important. As she turned back towards the remains of the cat- _like_ Gem creature they'd searched for in the first place, Steven returned his face towards Amethyst.

"You feel fine?" he questioned, hoping to make sure there wasn't some monstrous internal effect that'd gone unnoticed from Amethyst's revitalization. It'd seemed more scarily realistic when Steven had some trouble discerning her uneasy expression directed towards Garnet. "No… backwards thoughts, or _*kzzrrt*_ -ing, or… extreme tiredness?"

Amethyst gave the boy an unamused expression. "'Tiredness?'" she stated, deadpan. Steven shrugged. Regardless, Amethyst shrugged back at him with a sigh, looking back down at her damaged Gem. "Nah, nothing like that. Feelin' peachy-keen. Ish."

"So, the same as you always do," Pearl ratified. She nodded her head in affirmation, but still appeared confused. Evidently, she couldn't tell much about the current situation, leaving her somewhat inexperienced and subsequently at a loss as to what should be done. Pearl's confusion was further evidenced when she continued after a hefty delay with a an unsure "…correct?"

Before Amethyst could answer, Steven made to stand up from the ground he'd been pushed to not too long ago. The troubled expression adorning his features shifted to a new kind of conviction, still maintaining its direction towards Amethyst in a way that felt anything but nosy. "Here, maybe I should try again-"

"Wait," Garnet abruptly spoke up, gently putting a hand on his shoulder. She seemingly appeared from nowhere, now holding a filled bubble in her other hand. Mysteriously always being where she was needed made her sudden return a little less surprising, but Amethyst was surprised regardless. "Perhaps it's best if we do something we… know more about."

"Like what?" Amethyst asked for Steven, somewhat cautiously. Even though she knew that it was just some kind of odd paranoia, Amethyst found herself believing Garnet knew something she didn't. Whatever it was, she couldn't tell.

Garnet looked to Pearl for a moment, like she was attempting to convey something important without speaking. Amethyst didn't really get why she remained silent, though knowing Garnet, it could've been for simple dramatic effect. Pearl was about to mimic Amethyst's question before the idea had reached her. She snapped suddenly, almost grinning like the solution was right before them the whole time.

"The fountain!" the tall woman said with questionably justifiable energy. Her smile seemed somewhat unnerving in the dim yellow light to Amethyst, but then again, it was the kind of smile that never looked right in any kind of light. Even Steven appeared a little put off by it. Given that there was really only one "fountain" that could've feasibly been relevant to the current situation, Steven didn't take long to figure out which one Pearl (and probably Garnet) had implied.

"Mom's fountain?" he asked curiously. Pearl nodded. Not that he could see, but Garnet seemed to do the same for just a brief moment, convincing Amethyst that the fusion's odd pause was for dramatic effect. Weirdly, Garnet's less dire approach to Amethyst's restoration eased up the feeling of danger while also strengthening the feeling of suspicion. Suffice to say, the glowing stones of the cave seemed more irritating than frightening now. That seemed just a little familiar.

"Would that be different than me?" Steven asked as a follow up question. He imagined that his mother's tears and his spit had identical effects, albeit with varied accessibility. While he could see why his saliva could be less consistent than the tears of his mother when the latter had existed for multiple millennia, Steven didn't think that they induced very different results. Garnet's basic expression told him a similar story.

"There's a possibility it would not," the dark woman admitted with another shrug. It was a little unnerving with how often she had shrugged in the past half hour. Garnet momentarily adjusted her sunglasses, moving her gaze to Amethyst. For some reason she could hazily discern, the two Gems shared eye contact for a brief couple of seconds before Amethyst turned away, suddenly interested in her damaged Gem once more. Garnet continued after another Garnet-scaled hesitation. "But it's worth a shot."

"Yeah," Steven agreed, finding more satisfaction in Amethyst's potential recovery than his abilities being on-par with his mother's. As undamaged as Amethyst appeared in her static-devoid form, Steven would rest a whole lot better knowing that she was completely restored over seemingly partially.

"Sounds good to me," Amethyst admitted with a shrug. Steven was glad to have her agree, though his conviction wouldn't have been much altered either way. Tempting the fates and assuming the normally heavy hinderance to her Gem was fine was not something he bothered to consider. Especially in Amethyst's case.

"I do hope it works," he heard Pearl mutter under her breath, as though saying it softly reduced the cut's severity. To be honest, that was part of why Steven didn't say anything at all. Whatever the scar in Amethyst's Gem would do, it couldn't be all that pretty. She didn't seem too troubled by the potentially inevitable, according to how she picked at it in a similar fashion to how one subconsciously picks their teeth, though Steven didn't really want to incite any reason for something to actually happen. He tried to make a conscious effort to avoid telling Amethyst she should stop fiddling with her Gem, but his worry wouldn't let him. Thankfully, Pearl spoke up right before Steven could, subsequently taking the words right out of his mouth.

"Amethyst, stop fiddling with your Gem," she told her with the same distaste she usually used when reprimanding Amethyst's more rude habits. Evidently, Pearl's worry at what further effects could befall Amethyst had diminished alongside Garnet's, unlike Steven's. It was a little reassuring to have both admittedly more… professional Gem's act as she was fine. Not to say their concern wasn't there, but Pearl certainly didn't try to imitate the troubled frown of Steven. Amethyst honestly would've assumed the opposite occurrence.

"Oh, chill, P," Amethyst waved off after some moments possibly including taking in Steven's obvious concern. "Ain't gonna do anything. Just got a junked-up Gem. Look." With a shrug, Amethyst set her hands on the ground, shifting her weight more towards the appendages. To emphasize her point of only having a "junked-up Gem", Amethyst swept her legs inwards and propelled herself to a standing position in a confident, controlled manner.

Or, at least, she tried to.

It being as dark as it was in the cavern, no one could really blame her for not seeing the rock she accidentally ended up kicking instead of stepping on. Amethyst still didn't see it, though, meaning that her body's assumed trajectory was a little off, and subsequently her center of gravity. Whatever feelings of exceptional condition she attempted to convey probably didn't hit their mark as her boot slipped backwards in an all-too-familiar way. All Amethyst could do was silence her curse for Steven's sake before falling back to the earth she was so eager to leave.

 _*thump*_

 _"Huh,"_ Amethyst thought, eyes shut tight. She would've assumed a harsh thud over a softened thump, finding the latter an odd noise for rock to make. After a couple seconds, though, she could tell something was a little off beyond the depressingly usual feeling of free fall. Her second thought, right after _"maybe I don't deserve my leg privileges,"_ was the stone being a lot more cushiony and warm than she remembered. Almost comfortable. Curious, Amethyst opened her eyes from bracing, and was met with a worried face rather than dark gloom above her.

She and Steven briefly stared at each other, subconsciously noting the similarity between the current and previous unknown aspects that caused such a bout of staring. More silence followed, filled with curious frowning in a way not all that reminiscent of being upset. About the opposite, in fact. An indistinguishable feeling, but definitely not any form of discomfort. Then Amethyst spoke up after recognizing exactly what occurred.

"Nice, uh, catch."

Steven, noticing how Amethyst's expression didn't really match how deadpan she might've attempted to be, found his frown changing into a nearly embarrassed grin. He gave a bashful shrug, inadvertently bringing his face closer to Amethyst for a brief moment. It's not that he intended to think of her as needing any kind of help, but Steven didn't exactly have a whole lot of time to think before catching her. And in the span of only a few moments, instinct usually won over thought. Not that his decision would've been much different otherwise. Still, Steven didn't let Amethyst's potential loss of dignity bother him too much.

"Thanks," he said almost knowingly in response to Amethyst's incredulity, still wearing a grin. A small chuckle escaped his lips, telling Amethyst that he most definitely wasn't too perturbed by his opportunity to help. It wasn't as degrading as she thought it'd be, weirdly enough. Amethyst crossed her arms, nonetheless making a rather large deal out of blowing the hair out of her face as she did so. Oddly, though, she didn't have much to say for once. She seemed to mutter some kind of grudgingly impressed words at how fast Steven had managed to launch himself before stating she could be put down now. On her feet, mind. Standing. She put a special emphasis on the word "standing" before Steven suddenly shook his head.

"No can do, ma'am," he said, his voice falling back into the failingly gruff tone he'd used back at the start of the caves. While his features formed a frown of duty, he didn't appear all too professional; what his duty was, Amethyst couldn't tell. She was too busy being surprised at Steven's denial.

"S'cuse me?" Amethyst responded skeptically. About a second later, she remembered she was supposed to be accidentally insulted, and frowned in Steven's same dutiful manner. As much as she would've liked to believe she was more successful, Amethyst had a hard time thinking Steven would buy it regardless of how well she executed her expression.

Steven, face still adorned with a respectable attempt at seriousness, shook his head again. If Amethyst wasn't literally in his arms at that point, she might've made at least half an effort to escape them, ironically enough. Thankfully, Steven began to explain himself in his usual Steven-y way before Amethyst was forced to speak up. She didn't trust her mouth right now. Who knew what the "correct response" was in this situation.

 _"Oh, wait,"_ she suddenly recalled, false vexation melting away. Whatever he was saying came to an unsure stop as he looked back at Amethyst, eyes curious. There wasn't much in her field of vision beyond him, but her gaze was drawn to him in a way that suggested anything else would've been considered irrelevant anyways. _"Any kind. Right."_

A couple familiar moments of silence took place before Steven cleared his throat and fell back into his dutiful role, not trying to pay any mind to _the stare_. At least, that's what he dubbed the odd pause he and Amethyst now consistently seemed to share. It was an apt name. If only naming the weird transaction was as easy as ignoring it.

"I don't think you're fully healed," Steven explained to Amethyst, having another go at professionalism. She could admire his determination, but austerity just didn't seem to be his forte. And as she noticed a few seconds after, actually paying attention to what he was saying wasn't Amethyst's forte, either. Still, she forced herself to listen to her friend, awarding her the next part of his statement just in time. "You could still be hurt, or there could be something we just don't know about… uh-" Steven coughed, dropping his voice an octave. "-Ma'am."

Amethyst's expression unconsciously softened as she took in his words. While she did let out a snort from Steven being "serious", it didn't reflect the resounding feeling more accurately conveyed in her face. Whether purposefully or not, Amethyst didn't give much mind to the sudden heat in her cheeks that resulted from Steven's concern, instead focusing on the words themselves. _"Daw,"_ she heard herself think, feeling almost like in a dream where one sees their self from the third person. A tad… floaty? _"The guy really cares. Go figure."_

Steven cleared his throat. "Uh, Amethyst?"

It was a while before Amethyst remembered Steven was actively looking at her, awaiting a comprehensible response. She gave a small "ahem", trying to do similar to Steven and revert to the unamused skepticism she tended to have with relying on others. According to Steven's persistently half-surfaced grin, she didn't perform too well. "Well, I appreciate the sentiment," Amethyst said after a cough. Even Garnet's was more realistic. "…like, a lot. But, ah, I can still walk. Y'know."

Steven considered this fact for a moment, then briefly looked past her at the ground, taking note of the interesting skid marks her boots had etched into the stone. "Um," he drew out unsurely, eyebrow raised. "See, I don't want to insult you or anything, but…"

Amethyst glanced back down at the same patch of white-streaked earth. "Just got up too fast," she muttered, the floaty feeling in her stomach diminishing. It wasn't her fault the cave was so tragically dark. "Y'all were tripping as much as me on the way."

"Fair point," Steven agreed, shrugging his arms once again. A couple moments passed, then Amethyst realized she still wasn't on the ground. She glanced at Steven, giving up at false irritation and instead giving him a genuinely curious expression. To be honest, she didn't entirely mind Steven's grasp (especially when she knew of his sympathetic motivation) but still felt as though he had more to say. Judging by the look on Steven's face, he did. Not exactly suspicious; more thoughtful than guilty. Admittedly, Amethyst could've shrugged it off, but after her and his rather personal talk, she felt like whatever he kept quiet about was at least worth hearing. Being inherently curious, Amethyst jokingly squinted her eyes at him, pretending to interrogate her friend.

Steven purposefully looked about before returning his eyes to Amethyst's. Upon noticing her gaze, he seemed to fidget a bit more; Amethyst could feel that much in his arms, right alongside the comfortable warmth that counteracted the deep underground's oppressive heat. Cozy at it might've been, Amethyst kept her look on him, hoping to coax out an explanation for exactly why he still kept her off the ground. She prompted him to help. "Still got me some legs."

Apparently, Steven had some trouble hearing her words, as he leaned in closer with a confused expression. To be honest, Amethyst didn't remember whispering. Then, seeing as how Steven really didn't seem to get what she said, Amethyst realized she did whisper; who knew why?

"I mean, I really can walk," she tried recovering, hoping her words would overlap the brief second of total befuddlement. "It's sweet—" was that word really in her vocabulary? "—and all, but c'mon, I ain't a damsel."

"I know you can probably walk," Steven finally said, looking equal parts concerned and sheepish. His own expression changed to a more apologetic one, as if he was about to ask Amethyst to please not be upset. She honestly had a hard time thinking of any feasible way Steven could make her. Not that she'd admit it out loud. That being said, Amethyst allowed herself to admit that fact to herself, which was welcome information.

 _"Heh,"_ Amethyst thought to herself. He never did seem to be any kind of bother as of late, did he? Sure, there were times when Amethyst would prefer to be left alone, but if Steven was the one to accompany her, there always seemed to be a convenient exception just for him. If she bothered to pay much mind outside her currently contained world, Amethyst would've felt another grin plaster itself on her lips. One she would often define as more than a little dumb if she saw it anyone else.

"Amethyst?" the Gem suddenly heard, her own name breaking her thoughts. Ripped back to reality, Amethyst blinked several times, clearing away the rest of her daydream. If she wasn't as distracted as she was, she might've given Steven one of her now patented looks of surprise a whole lot sooner.

 _"Distracted?"_ Amethyst thought after another moment, having trouble realizing that was an accurate description. Attempting to juggle her thoughts, Amethyst gave a half-coherent "Huhwah?" to her friend.

Steven snorted at her confused words, but an odd rosiness accompanied his smile. His whole expression now emanated a feeling of nervousness with perfect clarity; but why? Amethyst assumed he knew he would have trouble making her upset at him. Worried, she gave Steven a patient smile, already forgetting that she completely missed whatever he said before (because of him, ironically enough).

"'S'matter, guy?" she tried again, hoping to put the young Gem at ease. It was probably more than obvious that she wasn't exactly furious that Steven continued holding her, but Steven being Steven, he seemed to have trouble realizing this. "You know I'm pretty much zen right now. Kinda."

"I, uh, said…" Steven tried again, his voice perfectly matching his expression. He was definitely anxious about something, but Amethyst still couldn't find what for the life of her. After another lengthy pause, she found her answer. "I kinda _want_ to carry you. I… it's, y'know, important."

Normally, this would be the part where Amethyst would ask why, for several reasons. As it was just proven, she did have her energy back. The only problem she suffered before was literally a rock she didn't see, not being paralyzed from the waist down. And it's not as though the crack in her Gem would magically grow. From a purely analytical point of view, there wasn't much reason for Steven to carry her. But somehow, looking around the shadowy environment, Amethyst didn't think a scientific approach conveyed the whole story.

"How important?" Amethyst asked for clarification, not a shred of skepticism or sarcasm in her voice. She looked at Steven with a curious, almost eager expression. He looked back, lips pulled into a sheepish grin.

"Y'know, just in case," he tried saying casually. Like his earlier seriousness, it wasn't executed very well. "Just… it's really important."

To Amethyst, that was more than a sufficient answer. Her understanding might've had something to do with their earlier conversation, because reading him seemed far easier than it should've been. She could practically hear him say the last two words despite his mouth ceasing movement; "to me."

For just a second, Amethyst could've sworn she heard her own heartbeat.

"…psh, heh." she said after a pause comparable to that of _the stare._ Now she appeared bashful, doing about as well of a job at hiding it as Steven had been serious. Assuming Steven wouldn't have noticed and most likely being wrong, Amethyst relaxed almost instinctively, trusting her companion's grasp to a degree she wasn't that used to. She kind of wanted to be used to it. "Okay."

Steven seemed to take note of how pressed in to his arms Amethyst hoped she wasn't (while Steven diminished the importance of a reputation to Amethyst, dignity was still something she valued), then shook his head like he was mentally rebooting.

"Okay?" Steven said, evidently not expecting an answer that quickly nor that agreeing. His surprise only lasted for a moment before his back confidently straightened, reinforced with the general positivity Amethyst's simple answer seemed to give him. Whatever apprehension he felt from wanting to carry her now seemed silly in Amethyst's eyes, and admittedly a bit cute, in… some kind of way. Amethyst had as much trouble trying to categorize Steven's adorability as she did remembering a time when he appeared this happy. Not wanting to focus on definitions nor the exact reasons she chose such words to describe him, Amethyst gave her companion an agreeing smile. "Okay! L'es go!"

With that, Steven hiked up his arms, inadvertently jumping Amethyst before his grip strengthened. He evidently had a theme when it came to holding people, because his sudden increase in tightness was akin to his hand holding from earlier; secure, not uncomfortable. And like it was proven to herself before, Amethyst was more appreciative than insulted. While that definitely contributed to the sudden increase in comfort she felt emanating from Steven, it didn't really justify the extent she received. This deep underground in such an eerie environment, nothing really could've justified Amethyst's sudden relaxation, and yet it was experienced anyways.

Steven didn't seem to catch on to Amethyst's slack trust, and according to his wide grin, she guessed he was too busy being plain happy at her answer. It was honestly kind of flattering. The young Gem took three confident steps forward, carrying his equally content friend, then stopped. He briefly looked at Amethyst, appearing nonplussed. Then he turned around, prepared to ask exactly where they were supposed to go.

His question transformed into a confused "What?" at Garnet's grin.

Amethyst surveyed the other Gems' expressions alongside Steven, at as much of a loss as he was at. Garnet stood smirking, arms crossed like she knew something no one else did. Granted, that was par for the course, but it was in a certain manner that seemed downright bizarre. Like she was trying to make it even more obvious that she held some esoteric info, despite that being obvious enough on its own. The feeling of danger to Amethyst evaporated entirely as an effect, but the scarred Gem wasn't feeling particularly relieved at the moment.

Pearl, thankfully, looked a bit less knowledgeable. Ironic enough as that was, she still appeared to be more aware of Garnet's hidden secret than anyone else, in a more curious regard. The tall woman eyed Steven and Amethyst curiously, like she was trying to find the difference between two seemingly identical photos. A bit more invasive than Garnet had felt to have been earlier, but at least Pearl was open about. Probably not on purpose, but Amethyst would take what she could get. Plus, it was an excuse for Amethyst to snuggle herself just a little bit further into Steven's arms, pretending to shy away from the tall Gem's gaze.

Hey, it was what he wanted, anyways. More or less. Probably. Maybe.

Keeping a mental note to maintain suspicions towards the other Gems no matter how cozy she felt, Amethyst rose an eyebrow. A few seconds as compensation for her obvious movement into Steven sped by much faster than a couple of seconds would have, and she moved her eyes back to him in the hope that he might offer some kind of reasoning for the odd combination of their companions' countenances. If his mirrored expression told her anything, Steven didn't know any more than she did. Hopefully his knowledge didn't include exactly how greedily Amethyst took up his offer.

"Uh, guys?" Amethyst questioned, eyeing back at the two Gems uneasily. Call her thin-skinned, but she didn't really like when people stared at her. More so while she was in a more personal moment with her friend. When it was her other friends, Amethyst tended to be more tolerable, but given the recently odd events and even more odd and recent internal feelings, an exception felt perfectly reasonable. "What'cha thinking?"

Garnet laughed exactly one time; a static "heh" with a single bounce of her shoulders. Her smirk seemed to expand too, though it was difficult to tell. The fusion continued grinning in that knowing way as she turned to Pearl for a moment. Steven cocked his head to one side, whispering to Amethyst that he wished he could read people's minds. For the sake of her dignity, Amethyst wished otherwise, but obviously didn't tell Steven that. Just as the youthful Gem opened his mouth to repeat Amethyst's question, Garnet turned back towards them.

"Oh, nothing," she replied, telling everyone that she was definitely thinking something. Garnet was always thinking something; that much was learned a long time ago. Still smiling, the fusion spun on her heel and waved for the others to follow her. "Pad's this way."

The three others looked at her, confused for various reasons. Pearl, still appearing curious, followed closely after, asking "But what do you mean?" as she trailed behind. Not wanting to lose his other companions to the unknown darkness of the caves, Steven made an effort to quickly resume walking behind them. He pointed his confused expression back at Amethyst, wondering exactly what they'd been talking about.

"Beats me," Amethyst shrugged, managing to answer a question Steven never voiced. As true as her answer was, Amethyst could only give a subconscious one. She was too busy trusting Steven's grasp to pay much mind to anything even if she wanted to. Which, to be honest, she didn't. Besides, she didn't assume it to be that pressing of a matter to find out exactly what the other Gems' vague conversation was.

 _"Wait…"_ Amethyst thought, frowning for a moment. Her priorities certainly should've been stacked differently, and probably been less hazy, too. _"That… can't be right."_

After a pause neither she nor Steven decided to fill, Amethyst shrugged again. The action accidentally pressed herself further into Steven, to the point of feeling his heartbeat. Without really knowing why, she became more aware of her own as a result. Doing her best to think of it as a trivial detail, Amethyst continued after another brief pause, trying to appear more confused as an effect from Garnet and Pearl rather than Steven. "Who knows what they're talking about."

Steven's features told her he was in the same boat she tried to be in, appearing contorted in a persistently perplexed manner. "To be honest…" he unsurely stated, half-consciously maneuvering around the various stones and bones that dotted the caves as he walked, "I kinda… forgot about them. That they were there, I mean."

"Huh," Amethyst stated in reply, eyes now fixated on Garnet. Focusing on the square block of hair helped her ignore the near-intoxicating coziness of Steven Amethyst reluctantly recognized, if only for a little bit. Whatever information the fusion kept to herself seemed increasingly important, in a more closure-fulfilling way than dire. It was more than a little obvious that whatever she withheld was all too relevant to something, most likely to something rather recent. Thinking it was something to do with herself felt equal parts paranoid and realistic to Amethyst. "You too?"

Straining his ears to catch the rest of Pearl's mysterious questions, Steven hummed in affirmation. Carrying Amethyst obviously wasn't too usual for him to do (the Gem in question could attest to that), but he didn't seem at all awkward about it. If he thought anything about Amethyst's borderline cuddling was odd, he sure as heck didn't show it. He might've been confused by Garnet's conspicuous nature, but some content from his friend seemed to linger. As an effect, the subtle floaty feeling returned to Amethyst's mind, somewhat muddling her thoughts. Flattered didn't really describe the surprisingly agreeable haze; some feeling that almost persuaded Amethyst to actually cuddle him.

 _"Don't be weird, me,"_ Amethyst reminded herself.

In her defense, it was mostly Steven's fault she was feeling more "buddy-buddy" with him. When the amount of people she could so thoroughly enjoy the care of amounted to one, she tended to appreciate that one just a little bit more. As would anyone. Plus, this was a "Steven" case, which certainly meant it was special in it's own right. _He_ was.

Looking at him, Amethyst almost bothered to analyze how close her statement was to home before realizing Steven was looking back. Again, that whole "paying attention to Steven" thing was proving to be a bit more difficult as of late, especially in the reaction department. Amethyst was about to offer a cool nod as compensation for that usual pause before a thought occurred to her.

Silently, Amethyst continued looking up at the boy carrying her, a new kind of expression adorning her features. Steven looked back up from her, facing forward while using a cough to diffuse the awkward silence that reigned. He seemed almost thankful that he had an actual objective to use as an excuse for keeping busy. Or, at least, that he had something to reliably focus his efforts on. Whatever the case, Amethyst was thankful for the opportunity to continue looking at him without his noticing, if only to think on her thoughts.

Exciting as that task might've been, Amethyst assumed it to have some correlation to Garnet's hidden info. That, and… that feeling. While she was unable to tell exactly what her own expression was supposed to convey, Amethyst could tell it was tied to the cozy feeling she felt in Steven's arms. The same feeling that distracted her from wondering how literal that coziness was. It was… new, but familiar. Had she not been within such a close proximity to Steven at the moment, Amethyst would've bothered to ponder on the odd sense. Instead, she resorted to her usual mentality of living in the moment.

"It's your fault," Amethyst suddenly concluded, looking pleased with her deductive skills.

"Wha?" Steven questioned back, obviously not understanding. He momentarily switched his outward expression to a nonchalant one when he noticed Pearl looking back towards him and Amethyst in that studious way. Admittedly, it helped Amethyst ignore just a portion of the new feeling, though she wasn't too pleased about it. "What's my fault?"

The total lack of skepticism or defense from Steven was probably why Amethyst laughed like she did. Lightly, and if she was feeling particularly easygoing and honest, borderline softly. Her gaze was directed back to the boy carrying her, somewhat reflecting the ease with which she relaxed in his arms. "'S your fault," she said again, poking his chest in a manner she had trouble describing. Jokingly? "…that we forgot. 'Bout them. Too distracting for your own good."

Evidently, Steven had a hard time categorizing the sudden touch to his sternum as well. "What?" he repeated with an uncertain laugh. Not necessarily unsure, but rather… unknown. Like the poke to his chest, all Amethyst could identify was the general positivity to his voice. Curious as she should've been, though, Amethyst found herself shrugging off the importance of an exact definition. Besides, if there was anything she learned from talking to him earlier, it was that an exact definition wasn't always necessary.

"How'd you figure?" Steven asked her, wearing a grin similar to Amethyst's. For a moment, his pace seemed to slow down, though he sped back up upon noticing how quickly Pearl's form was disappearing into the gloom of the cave. It didn't seem as dark as it was when Amethyst entered the cave. Unconsciously waving a stray bang of hair from her eye, Amethyst opened her mouth to answer Steven. Then her jaw froze in place as she realized that she didn't really have an answer.

"Well… y'know…" she tried stalling, suddenly a bit more self-conscious. Of course, this resulted in her noticing the sudden heat in her face without really preventing it. How convenient. Amethyst attempted to get her thoughts in order, but found that any answer that explained why Steven was distracting was about as accurate as a shotgun. Steven just… _was._ Distracting, in his own Steven-y way. Sure, that wasn't all too specific, but it was the furthest extent Amethyst knew with certainty.

"I'ma be honest," she began confessing. She briefly paused after those three words, causing Steven to hold onto his equally happy and confused expression for just a little while longer. Thinking, Amethyst knit her eyebrows, attempting to find a way to tell Steven her lack of specifics in the most fitting way. If there was anything she learned from him by now, it was that Steven seemed to understand her more than anyone else, so she bet on that.

Wordlessly, Amethyst rose up her arms and proceeded to wrap them around Steven's neck. She suddenly held herself close to him, burying her head into his shoulder tightly, but not forcefully. "I dunno, man," she said honestly, her voice somewhat muffled. "Ya just are."

Amethyst could feel Steven stop walking, but didn't think it that important to focus on as… well, him. As physically awkward the act of hugging the same person that was carrying her was, nothing felt more natural in Amethyst's long, long life. For what might've been five seconds or five years, she simply kept herself there, embracing her friend, being close to Steven. Being… _with_ him.

 _"*GASP*"_

"Steven!" a voice suddenly called, shattering Amethyst's thoughts. The violet Gem very nearly broke her own neck whipping her head around, instinctively turning towards the noise. It seemed to belong to the barely visible speck on the edge of the gloom. A small triangle peeked out from the fog before Amethyst recognized it as the end of Pearl's nose, subsequently telling her who'd just called her friend's name. "Come on, we don't want you getting lost."

"Oh!" Steven exclaimed in response. Amethyst turned back to him in the same speedy and abrupt way, finding him appearing rather surprised. His cheeks also seemed to gain some more color recently. The boy hummed thoughtfully; a kind of short tune usually attributed to mock busywork. Amethyst could visibly see the moment he recalled walking behind Pearl before he resumed doing just that, with a bit more stiffness in his steps. As logical as it was to see Steven looking back at her, Amethyst was surprised anyways.

Now that he continued his walking, Steven focused his mental efforts back on his friend. At least, it felt that way to Amethyst. It might've had something to do with how her arms were still intertwined behind his back, still technically leaving her in a hug with him.

 _"Not that I'm complaining,"_ an errant thought resounded through her mind.

"H-hey," she uncertainly stuttered, subsequently cursing herself for stuttering. As a result, Amethyst could feel her face grow warm and most likely darken in color. She tried to save whatever dignity she had left, and hoped her excuse would be sufficient. Ironically, the one of the few things she could be completely certain about since entering the caverns was that her excuse wasn't at all sufficient. "You wanted to be the hero."

Steven muttered some affirmation, or maybe he said it clearly. Maybe Steven didn't say anything at all. Amethyst couldn't tell any which way. There was only one thing she could tell, and it was with the kind of clarity that came with recognizing what sleep or food or TV was. Something about hugging him cleared up a lot of what she now could call confusion as much as denial. It felt _way_ more than right, and yet it was such a simple action. Heck, she's hugged Steven countless times before, but never did they seem to carry the impact as the one Amethyst was still technically engaged in. Suddenly, all the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place; Amethyst _clearly_ figured out how Steven was so distracting. How she seemed to trust him so much, how he never seemed to make her upset even if she tried. How she could bring herself to be so diametrically opposed to her normal demeanor when it came to people.

With three different sources of heat in the same vicinity, Amethyst still shivered.

Quietly, Amethyst looked up at Steven. He currently wasn't facing her, but considering what she just realized, he might as well have unbroken access to her mind regardless. Which made the fact that much more daunting. Suddenly, despite what Amethyst felt might've implied on paper, an awful feeling emanated alongside the "buddy-buddy" feeling she described rather poorly. Awful because it was good; more than good. Great, and very unique.

Dense was also a word that came to mind. No _wonder_ he was the one that she could open up so easily around. How couldn't she have realized it before? Sure, hindsight was 20/20, but looking back, it seemed painfully obvious as to why Amethyst did what she did. Heck, she could look _right now_ and know why being carried by Steven wasn't degrading in the slightest. Moreover, why she was enjoying his grasp.

She was in _love_ with the guy.

 _"Welp,"_ she thought, about in shock. _"I'm goin' to jail."_

* * *

 **A/N:** Whoo, baby, it only took about 30,000 words! Don't worry, Amethyst isn't actually going to jail; after all, this story is all about justifying this ship in the first place, and _gol-darn-it_ I'll justify the HECK out of this thing if it's the last thing I do. Just go ahead and see for yourself!


	5. Knowledge, I

**A/N:** Hey, you're _still_ reading this! I know that the conflict hasn't been resolved yet, but still, thanks for sticking with this story. Guess I'm doing something right.

It occurs to me that the majority of these notes are directed at newcomers, which implies I'm expecting a slew of them as opposed to returning supporters. All are welcome! Maybe you happen to be in the minority that these notes actually make sense for. Cool! Have a good day!

 _*Special thanks to the user Style, whose recurring support has kept me inspired and, yes, determined._

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _V: Knowledge, Part I_

"Heh, appreciate it," Steven happily thanked in response to Amethyst. He didn't explicitly state it out loud, but "being the hero" was something of an enjoyable thought. Being something like a hero to Amethyst, more so. So it went without say that her willingness to put such a title on him was rather nice, especially when she chose a hug to show him that much (which was honestly the really nice part).

As much content Steven found from Amethyst's embrace, though, she seemed to experience twice as much before none at all. It was an odd and sudden contradiction; for a couple moments, Steven could veritably feel the cozy warmth from Amethyst without even seeing her expression. Understanding her well enough might have contributed to his detection. Some seconds of his surprise passed, and then Amethyst suddenly stiffened like her bones just turned to stone.

Steven glanced at the ground. _"Poor choice of words."_

Amethyst's abrupt petrification combined with the initial (and pleasant) surprise of her embrace was what caused Steven to stop walking, if only out of curiosity. The pause was long enough for Pearl to nearly disappear entirely into the cave's dark gloom, but she thankfully called to Steven before evaporating into black fog. Her voice seemed to tear Amethyst away from whatever thought caused her to seize up, as if the violet Gem was woken by an ice bath. Then, all the coziness she'd felt seemed to melt away into some kind of inexplicable apprehension. If he wasn't quickly catching up to Pearl, Steven would've asked Amethyst what she was thinking. After his walk resumed, however, Steven found Amethyst with a kind of expression that told him that wasn't the best idea.

She didn't appear angry; her odd reaction may have made it a more difficult task to read her, but Steven definitely didn't get any sense of umbrage from her. Amethyst appeared… fearful, almost. Some kind of despair mixed with anxiety. It fit the caves, sure, but currently, Steven couldn't think of much to explain that. The cat-like Gem that earlier incited those emotions was dealt with, much to the Gem's relief. Given what she just did alongside what they've been doing, Steven could only think of a thousand reasons why Amethyst shouldn't have exhibited fear. Hugs generally weren't terrifying.

Not wanting to pry, Steven cleared his throat, hoping that would alleviate some kind of invisible ice that begun spreading. In response, Amethyst nearly jumped like she'd been pricked in the arm without warning. It nearly made Steven apologize. Her gaze was felt on him regardless if he was facing forwards or towards her, being so attentive that the boy wondered if he was being interrogated again. Not having something to hide, Steven assumed Amethyst's expression to be a little more worried than invasive. The boy steeled his nerves, and hoped he wasn't intruding before speaking up with actual words this time.

"Is, uh, something wrong, Amethyst?" he inquired, a tad of concern finding itself in his curious features.

"Huh-what?" she said about instantly, almost cutting off his words. Within seconds, she fervently began denying anything being not how it should, dramatically waving off the mere notion. "Pfft, nah man. S'all good, nothin'— nope, all good over here. Totes fine, yeah."

Amethyst looked at him with the kind of expression that usually accompanied the hesitation before ripping off a band-aid.

"Uh… right," Steven eventually affirmed. He had the feeling she could sense his continued suspicion, but she didn't offer much to lift it. Lacking a matching grin while Amethyst denied any insinuated problems didn't make her statement too convincing. "Cool."

"Mh," Amethyst said with a forced nod Steven thought would be rude to mention. With that nearly choked hum, she settled back into his arms hesitantly. Silence seeped back into the caves, the only sound being slow footfalls against stone. Up ahead, Pearl seemed to still be engaged in a quiet conversation with Garnet, but it was mostly one-sided. Most of her statements consisted of the kind of fragments that only incited further questions, such as "Why?" or "What do you mean?". As much of a conversation could be found in Pearl's words, Steven noticed Amethyst's gaze on him rather than her before the violet Gem took a shaky breath.

"Why, uh," she started tentatively, slowly receding back into the originally relaxed state Steven found herself in. Physically, at least; he wasn't so sure about her being completely relaxed. "Why'd you ask?"

Steven stepped over another yellow bulb before looking back at her, appearing concerned. He couldn't help but get the feeling that she knew the answer to her question more than he did. "'Cause," he said with a shrug. Amethyst seemed to press herself further into his arms as a result, but Steven couldn't really see why. He assumed it to be rude to look. "You look kinda… I dunno, upset."

Apparently, that was one way to word it. Steven wasn't sure if that was the exact word to describe Amethyst's expression, but judging from how it changed, he was close enough. Amethyst didn't say anything, appearing almost guilty. About what was anyone's guess; given what she and Steven had previously discussed, he doubted that she felt bad for a simple hug. He knew _he_ didn't. Amethyst was quiet for a while, appearing on the verge of saying something without actually saying it. Steven hoped to help receive a response by talking to her first.

"Am I bad at hu—"

"It's— y'know, nothing," Amethyst suddenly stated, evidently stepping over that obstructing verge. Some of her earlier vigor was lost, though it looked like she wanted to say the same about her own apprehension. It made it look more like Amethyst backed away from what she'd initially wanted to say rather than actually saying it. The Gem continued after a pause just a little longer than normal, like every word she said was a large risk to be best avoided. "Don't worry about it."

Whatever "it" was, Steven hummed. "If you say so…" he reluctantly trailed off. He didn't enjoy describing Amethyst as suspicious, finding some accidental insult in doing so, but she didn't give him much choice. Regardless of how well Steven could read Amethyst, he could still notice she wasn't entirely at ease whether she wanted him to or not. Some kind of tense feeling settled back over both of them; the kind that usually didn't follow a hug, nor one that Steven was all that used to. He didn't really enjoy it.

With his inexperience of the current situation, Steven nearly questioned her well-being again, though felt that was prodding a little too much. From what he learned earlier, she would talk about the problem herself if it bothered her that much. But, simultaneously, not knowing what troubled Amethyst made him troubled himself. According to her expression, which Steven had doubts about misinterpreting, she _was_ bothered that much. He assumed Amethyst was aware that he would worry about her despite being told otherwise. It was less of a switch, more of a constantly held down button. Still, if Amethyst didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't force her to.

Steven, resigning to the quiet Amethyst seemed to want, continued walking forward while attempting to focus on what Pearl was saying. Obviously, he wasn't one to eavesdrop, but he felt like he deserved to at least know a little about what the two tall Gems were discussing when it so blatantly involved him. Him and Amethyst, most likely. Unfortunately, the easiest statement Steven could read was a question from Pearl on the frequency he spent time with Amethyst.

Pridefully, Steven answered to himself with "a lot".

"A lotta what?" Amethyst abruptly questioned. Startled, Steven turned back down towards the Gem in his arms, realizing he said his answer a little louder than he meant to. Thankfully, Pearl didn't appear to hear too much, or she was too focused on the quieter words Garnet answered with. After noting how Garnet seemed to do so because she was more aware of exactly how far Steven was from the pair of Gems, Steven explained himself.

"Oh, I was saying we hung out a lot," the boy casually answered. Weirdly, Amethyst looked almost appalled at his reasoning, like he just admitted to a murder they both tried to keep hidden. Was she suddenly finding it bad to be his friend? Steven quickly explained further, hoping that would rid Amethyst of her surprise. "Pearl was asking about how often you and I hung out, so said a lot. 'Cause, y'know, we do hang out a lot."

Steven didn't receive the "ohhh" response he tried earning from Amethyst, instead being granted another shocked expression. Again, it was like she was cycling through the earlier expressions she'd shown back when the situation was realistically dire. A few quiet moments passed, then Amethyst answered almost carefully. Finding her to be the last one to describe as careful, Steven was still a little worried.

"Well, I guess so," she almost tried dismissing. A thought seemingly occurred to her, and now Amethyst grinned. The only problem was that it looked nearly desperate rather than content. "But you hang out with everyone, right? Especially that Connie lady you like so much?"

Trying not to focus on the unnerving smile adorning Amethyst's lips, Steven hummed a small affirmation. "I guess so," he repeated, shrugging indifferently. Sure, he hung out with Connie a bunch, but it didn't feel any more often than others. Honestly, the one he did feel to spend more time with was Amethyst; at the very least, his experiences with her could be recounted in further detail, for one reason or another. Hoping to change Amethyst's reasoning for a smile, Steven offered a genuine one. "I mean, I like you a lot, too."

A couple moments passed, and Steven realized that rather than change the nature of Amethyst's grin, he changed the grin entirely. Now, a surprised expression was worn on Amethyst's face, combined with a fullness in the color underlying the small scar across her cheeks. She looked at Steven wordlessly, seemingly taken aback by what he assumed was common information. As he skirted around a collection of yellow bulbs, the boy heard her say one quiet "right" as she settled back into silence.

Steven, getting the idea that the conversation was over, reluctantly followed Amethyst's example. It had seemed that trying to comfort Amethyst had achieved the opposite effect, only encouraging Steven to stop trying. However, and ironically enough, Amethyst was probably one of the best people to understand that Steven wasn't one to stop trying. He would always find a way.

Trying to do just that, Steven felt that talking about something would make things a bit less awkward. Evidently, he couldn't talk about just anything, but surely there were some safe topics he could use as a sort of social buffer. Steven would normally be fine just quietly lounging with Amethyst, but she didn't make the quiet too enjoyable (not that he held that against her, obviously) with her apparent bother. Any time she was troubled, he subsequently was, whether she wanted him to be or not. Maybe some small talk would help disperse the awkwardness, in the way of familiarity. Not anything to do with Amethyst or him, but just a common conversation.

"Sooo…" Steven drew out, unsure of what exactly to say. Amethyst snapped her face to him, like she was already preparing another way to rid any ideas of something being wrong. Steven thought, hoping to find some topic the two could discuss without any underlying concern or worry. His brain decided to snap to more recent events, making his mouth say the first thing on his mind. Jokingly, he grinned at Amethyst. "'Don't chu' touch muh' Steven?'"

A couple seconds passed. Amethyst, apparently taking in the fact that Steven wasn't pressing the matter of whatever she was upset about, blinked. The boy held his breath, hoping that he didn't just worsen Amethyst's poor feeling. Then she snorted, throwing her head back a small distance and clutching her forehead in a mock exasperated manner.

"Oh, man," she said with a laugh. A laugh was a good start! It was enough for Steven's own smile to turn genuine, the sound much more reassuring than he would've first assumed. "I was, uh, kinda hoping you wouldn't catch that."

"Nope, got it," Steven confirmed with a laugh of his own. The original awkwardness surrounding him and Amethyst seemed to fade away, which was pleasing, to say the least. His arms received more of the content earned from when Amethyst first allowed him to carry her as a result. "Didn't know I was 'yer' Steven."

"Yeah…" Amethyst breathed out with another laugh. As opposed to the tense expression adorning her face before, she now looked generally happy. For a moment, she seemed like the usual, happy-go-lucky Amethyst that Steven knew and loved. It really was a pleasing sight. Before he could could capitalize on her happiness with another joke, though, she sighed more reservedly. Amethyst's lips reformed into that frown without an explanation. "Man, I really did say that, didn't I?"

Like his expression was tied to her own (which it very well might have been), Steven frowned in concern. The small scrap of general niceness he and Amethyst shared was drawn away by her atypically regretful tone, to which Steven felt was worrisome in its own right. Paired with the way she almost purposefully avoided his eyes, Steven still remained in the dark on what exactly Amethyst was thinking. Not much he thought of could trouble her after all that's happened. Ignoring one of Pearl's louder questions to Garnet, he tried offering a sympathetic smile to Amethyst. Second time's the charm.

"Hey," he told her casually. A brief pause of thinking occurred as Steven looked upwards, attempting to find the best words. He assumed the direct approach was best before turning back towards Amethyst's slightly curious expression. "I'm alright with being your Steven. Probably worse things to be."

The youthful Gem could almost see Amethyst's heart skip a beat. Did he say something wrong again? Amethyst snorted once more, but it leaned more towards a nervous chuckle. That uneasy one accompanying her question on exactly when Steven became her therapist some time before came to mind. "Right," she muttered, like Steven gave away a secret unknowingly. "Good choice of words."

Whatever she meant by that, Steven maintained his smile. It did seem to help, if only a little bit. Amethyst didn't seem to want to acknowledge that fact too comfortably. She still looked a tad uneasy, but Steven could feel her relax in a manner similar to when she first embraced him. Plus, Amethyst's expression lessened in regret, which was encouraging, to say the least. Assuming that his patient nature helped alleviate Amethyst's tension, Steven continued.

"Well, it's true," he reaffirmed. Amethyst's grin lost some of its anxiety soon after, and a flattered blush begun filling the space of cheeks. A smile only Steven could detect started breaking her face's surface, encouraging him further. Something about the sight's charisma made Steven's smile widen as well, and he brought his face a little lower for a second with an ingratiating chuckle.

"C'mon, you know it is," he pushed further, still grinning ear to ear. Now Amethyst wasn't at all trying to hide the grin adorning her features. If she was, she didn't do too well of a job. Finally, after another small laugh Steven could only perfect in Amethyst's presence, she laughed again, the final bits of inexplicable awkwardness disintegrating with her agreeable mirth.

"Man," Amethyst began after another giggle Steven didn't hear too often. The Gem's single arm that was still resting on his shoulder seemed more noticeable just after, though Steven couldn't really detect why. Trying to do so made him almost miss Amethyst's appreciative expression. Steven admittedly felt more than a little pride because of it. "How did you end up being so darn nice after hangin' around me?"

"Eh," Steven responded, shrugging. He momentarily noted how Amethyst didn't shy away this time as opposed to the retreat from the last time he shrugged. It let him more clearly assess the blush on her face, which he was a little thankful for. It also made the scar underneath that much more noticeable, but he tried to ignore that part. "Just doin' my job, ma'am."

Amethyst rolled her eyes in response, and appeared to ponder for something to say back. It gave Steven a couple of moments to ascertain how her face still appeared a darker violet than the rest of her, though he didn't bother worrying about why. The fact that a smile accompanied her persistent blush was a far more important fact. Not every day did he see her so flattered and subsequently… charismatic. Her laughable nature might've made her simper a more common sight, but Steven certainly didn't take it for granted. As of late, quite the opposite had occurred.

It was just… something about her smile looked good to Steven. More than good; something downright appealing. Obviously, Steven assumed it was due in part to the talk he and Amethyst shared earlier. He wasn't that oblivious. Usually. The point was, Steven still held that talk in mind, despite the way his boyish mind usually diverted his attention within the minute. And with that genial closeness to Amethyst came a certain appreciation he felt lacking before. A certain…

 _"Huh,"_ Steven abruptly thought, for once not able to define what his appreciation was tied to. Maybe—

"There somethin' on my face, guy?"

The young boy gave a small start, somewhat surprised at Amethyst's voice. Not necessarily what she said; more along the lines of remembering he had ears. Steven briskly shook his head, became disappointed that it didn't help his confusion, and opened his mouth. Instead of an inquiring question on why Amethyst asked that (that he might've known the answer to), however, Steven yelped upon his forward foot striking a larger-than-average yellow bulb.

The only words Steven could slur together was a rushed "Not this time!" as he shot his other foot forward in order to stop his fall. Admittedly, his previous experiences with falling most likely helped, as Steven miraculously managed to use his legs correctly; a feat he found none too trivial. It was also a feat he came to realize as a success after a few delayed moments, causing him to stand like stone for some panicked seconds.

"Steven?" the young Gem was slightly aware of hearing some distance in front of him. Still poised in a frozen manner, Steven swiveled his eyes towards Pearl's hazy form. She stood on the unforeseen edge of vision that the cave seemed to grudgingly offer, appearing worried. Steven impressed himself with being able to notice that with as much dark fog as there was. If he was seeing correctly through the gloom, he noticed Pearl seem to look him over before having some kind of realization. All she said was an under-the-breath "Be careful," before motioning for Steven to continue following.

Between both Pearl and Amethyst having some major internal thoughts they didn't want to share, Steven was beginning to believe he missed some secret meeting that everyone else had attended. If that was the case, he would make sure to ask the others about it. Politely, if possible. Hopefully Pearl could also fill him in on what Amethyst was thinking too, but again, Steven didn't want to prod.

"Ahem," Steven's chest cleared its throat in a muffled tone.

The young Gem frowned for a moment, having the bizarre thought that maybe his chest wanted to say something without being too rude. Then, recalling that fact that he only had one throat, Steven came to the more accurate conclusion that maybe someone had said something. Tentatively, he relaxed his grasp, which he later discovered had seized up like the rest of his muscles. In his defense, he was beginning to develop a fear of gravity with how often it had claimed him in the past half-hour.

Steven sheepishly re-extended his arms forward, giving Amethyst a nervous blush as he did so. It didn't help to feel some strands of hair tickle his chin, nearly forcing a laugh out of him. Thankfully, Steven held more power over his will than his biology did. He offered an embarrassed grin to Amethyst, hoping that would suffice as an apology. If the sudden almost-fall wasn't as jarring as it was, he would've attempted to describe her expression.

Another small bout of awkwardness came about, thankfully not of the same caliber of the earlier inexplicable one. More of a miscellaneous mental reboot than a disconcerting silence. Steven coughed, thinking it would still be a lot less awkward if Amethyst had said something. Even a sarcastic comment on his leg privileges would've been welcomed. "So," Steven slowly started, carefully resuming his walk. "You, uh, were saying?"

Amethyst stared at him, but Steven couldn't really look back. He forced his eyes forward, keeping them away from her's rather than on Pearl's form. "Uh huh," Amethyst said, most likely with a hardly suppressed grin. "I was askin' if there's something up with my face?"

Aside from the amused expression he assumed she had, Steven thought it odd for her to not notice her own blush. The only reason he could find for her obliviousness was that the cave's compressive heat hid any other signs of it. Either that, or the other scar across her face diluted the feelings of it.

"Well," Steven told Amethyst, skirting around another yellow bulb that seemed just a bit more disconcerting than the rest of them. The nearby bones probably contributed. Steven thought on his answer for a moment, which hopefully wasn't too suspicious. He wasn't that proud of it, but he didn't feel like discussing the appreciation he found in her face when he wasn't even sure why it denoted such inspection. "Two things," Steven hesitantly said, hoping to naturally understand himself later. "The… cat's weird cut, first."

"Huh?" Amethyst said with a tilt of her head. After a moment, she "ooohhed" knowingly, remembering that the "feline" had damaged more than just her Gem. In light of recent events, Steven could see why she forgot in the first place. Amethyst cautiously brought up her free arm to rub it, then remembered that wasn't a good idea. "I forgot about that dumb cat. Man, that was weird. Is weird? Is or was?"

Steven admitted to not being the best one to ask for grammatical advice before agreeing that it was a rather odd occurrence. Saying so hopefully justified why he looked at it so intently. Or rather, why he found himself looking at Amethyst's face as a whole so intently. Unfortunately, he could feel that it didn't. Maintaining just a little focus on his walk to avoid another "gravity" situation, Steven voiced another concern. "Did it hurt? When the cut grew?"

Amethyst momentarily adjusted her arm across his back without actually removing it, then looked back at Steven. Her blush seemed to be diminishing over time, albeit gradually. As much as he wanted to say the same about his confusion, Steven knew he couldn't. "Nah," Amethyst stated after another pause Steven may or may not have imagined. "Just kinda tingled. Now it's just real sensitive."

"I guess that's good?" Steven offered. He thought for a moment, trying to think of why the initial cut had expanded to its current state. The fact that it distracted him from how serious _looking at his friend's face_ was to him was completely coincidental. Steven inquired Amethyst's opinion on the matter of the cat's abilities mostly to buy himself what little amount of precious seconds he could, though he honestly was a tad piqued by the odd feline that was their target. Keyword _was._

"Whaddya reckon?" he asked. If Steven wasn't actively frowning at himself, maybe Amethyst wouldn't have met his look with an odd one. Currently, and probably luckily, Amethyst didn't seem too interested in his expression. The Gem put a thoughtful hand on her chin, careful to not touch the darker line of purple adorning her face. Steven took the opportunity to pour all his mental efforts onto why he felt bad for looking at her so intently.

Well… maybe _bad_ wasn't the right word. Subsequently, "looking" probably wasn't either. Most likely, Steven's gaze could be accurately described as staring. Realizing this made Steven feel more… guilty? No, not that either. But what did he have to feel… serious about? Last time he checked, enjoying the looks of something wasn't really a life-altering event. Before Steven could apply further thought towards Amethyst, the Gem in question spoke up.

"Honestly, you got me," she admitted, shrugging. She looked back up at Steven, who tried to put himself more into the conversation for the sake of politeness. That, and getting no further than complimenting Amethyst's appearance made it nearly frustrating to try and decipher any further. Silently sighing to avoid detection, Steven decided to ignore it for the time being. He'd probably end up asking Amethyst about it later anyways. Her gaze wandered for a bit before settling back on Steven. "Ain't seen something like this before."

Steven nodded, thinking about the oddness of the Gem/cat. Obviously, the creature that had more-or-less attacked them wasn't just some tabby, having the ability to go invisible and all. With its unknown nature, Steven thought it a little difficult to venture far outside the range of possibilities. "Maybe its got acid claws? Something like that?"

Amethyst appeared to think for a moment. It didn't look like she concerned herself with whatever thought caused her to be so upset earlier; Steven found some connection between that fact and how the dark color in her face had faded. He recalled how full her cheeks were following her unexpected hug, and came to the conclusion that whatever thought caused her to be so upset also caused the heat in her face. Still, the faint boost of color seemed less worrisome for the time being, if only for its subtlety. A unique kind of charisma could be attributed to her blush, but Steven didn't recognize the type she wore. It was kind of nice, in the way of—

 _"Hey,"_ Steven forcefully reminded himself. _"Staring's rude. Stop it."_

Fortunately for him, Steven still appeared to retain some luck, as Amethyst was too busy thinking of the cat-creature to pay him much mind. Or maybe the world was taking pity on him for finding so much of a struggle in walking. Either way, Steven was a bit grateful. "Eh," Amethyst eventually said, casually shrugging. "Probably. I dunno."

Steven looked up, prepared to ask Pearl's thoughts on the matter. Then, taking a moment to recall that Garnet was there too, prepared to ask her thoughts on the matter. Before he could, though, Amethyst continued. If it meant she wasn't worried about whatever thought troubled her, Steven was all ears. "Think it'll work?"

Okay, thinking about something else that troubled her wasn't too good of a trade off. A little surprised, Steven glanced down at Amethyst, who in turn motioned down towards her Gem. Reluctantly, Steven looked at the scar etched into the stone, like a saw was taken to it with reckless abandon. Not all that pleasant a sight. The jewel still shined against the yellow bulbs adorning the caves, also offering Steven a more broken look at his own worried face. Given that Amethyst's condition was a first time case, there wasn't much to offer an idea of what would or even could happen.

But… as disconcerting as the damaged Gem was, Steven had the feeling that things would be alright. The concept of anything awful transpiring felt a little far off, which the caves would normally contest as desperation. Regardless, the boost of confidence found emanating from Amethyst counteracted any signs of ill-omens, meaning Steven couldn't see too much conflict ahead. It wasn't just due to his usual positive attitude, nor some physical evidence that deemed a good outcome as logical. A sort of sixth sense, like any further harm coming to Amethyst wouldn't be possible. The universe would make sure of it.

"Heh," Steven laughed to himself quietly.

"What's with that grin, guy?" Amethyst questioned. A small amount of genuine worry creeped up on her features, not really fitting her tone. Seeing her brow start to furrow, Steven explained himself, taking some effort to focus on the present. For the sake of trying to keep as much positivity as he could (and also because he naturally did so anyways) Steven gave Amethyst a determined smile as he talked.

"Of course it will," Steven confidently stated. Though his words might've been predictable, he doubted they would be taken as empty. They didn't seem to have too much of a negative effect on Amethyst, changing her expression to a more serious one, but neither did they give her the smile intended. All Amethyst did was nod before looking back down, evidently receding back into her thoughts. The action reminded Steven of his admiration of her face that he tried to so swiftly forget about. Attempting to do so a second time (since the second time did seem to be the charm), Steven presented more of a conversation. "Sorry you got cut, though."

His statement came out a bit more genuine than intended, probably because it was more genuine than first assumed. His concern was plenty real already, meaning Steven ended up saying his condolence as if he was responsible. In a way, he felt that he was. Amethyst didn't seem to agree, which wasn't all that surprising.

"Again with the apologies, Universe?" she joked after a slight hesitation. Steven thought it was due to the delay of his statement, and maybe just a little bit of surprise from thinking their conversation was still going. That odd sixth sense told him the latter. Still, Amethyst appeared content for the time being, so Steven counted that as a point in his favor. The Gem in his arms rolled her eyes, and did a sort-of good-natured push on his shoulder. "Appreciate your concern, but it's fine. Ain't your fault."

"I know," Steven responded honestly. He thought a little on his words, finding the smallest hint of trouble in a plain explanation. "I just wish I could heal it."

Amethyst appeared confused for a moment, then recalled that attempting to heal her before had produced some interesting results. Her expression softened, looking up at the boy above her. "I know," she sighed, understanding her friend's trouble. Steven felt the hand on his back offer some sympathetic pats, which did make him feel a bit better. The equally sympathetic smile on Amethyst's lips had a similar effect. "Don't worry about it, Steven. We'll be fine."

Taking in her words, Steven's slight frown gladly abated. Though she wasn't usually too serious, Amethyst tone's felt pleasingly reassuring, almost determined. She seemed a little more glad at the moment, too; an expression reminiscent of her and his earlier conversation etched itself on her features. "Yeah," Steven agreed, some confidence seeping into his steps. Pearl momentarily looked back to investigate the slight increase in noise, though Steven wasn't too worried about that currently. "We will, won't we?"

All Amethyst said was a confident agreement, then realized her use of the term _we_ rather than I. Compared to her usual vernacular, the trivial change could've been passed over without much thought. While Steven felt the accidental inclusion of himself was a little flattering, Amethyst knitted her eyebrows like she made a genuine mistake. She opened her mouth, most likely to correct herself, then thought against it at the last minute. Weirdly, Steven couldn't fully read what exactly she wanted to say rather than know for certain it was just a minor grammatical correction.

Steven looked up for a moment, prepared to ask Pearl's thoughts on the matter (about the grammar, not Amethyst; he wasn't that prying), but hesitated. As childish as it might've seemed, Steven kind of just wanted to keep his words between Amethyst and himself. That, and Steven didn't want to eliminate the possibility of, uh, _accidentally_ finding further information on Pearl and Garnet's conversation through the former's inclusion. They were quiet for now, but it seemed to be more contemplative than prior; even a little tense. Before Steven could figure out why, Amethyst spoke up again.

"But… wait," she muttered with a contemplative look. Steven glanced back at her, forcing himself to at least somewhat close the distance between him and Pearl to avoid being rude. Not that she would notice, but Steven tried to make an effort to at least be somewhat aware of the world around him. Lacking that awareness earlier brought about some odd events. After a couple of steps, Steven noticed Amethyst wasn't saying anything beyond her first pondering words.

"There's more?" he tried, mimicking an old commercial salesman. Amethyst briefly laughed again; Steven found that the one good thing about the caves surrounding them was that they seemed to amplify her chuckling to a degree beyond enjoyable, subsequently amplifying Steven's pride for its causation. Honestly, it was a nice noise. Some minor giggling passed, and Amethyst rolled her eyes again.

"I was sayin'," she emphasized, "that I still don't get why you're all fine. Kinda." The Gem pursed her lips as her expression changed into a concerned frown, eyebrows furrowed. She reached up an arm to gingerly touch one of the many scratches on Steven's chin, carrying a kind of softness Steven didn't notice too often. Admittedly, he was a little distracted by the pleasant contact, but still answered. Eventually.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that too," he stated. Another thought came to mind, and Steven inconspicuously looked at Amethyst as he shrugged just a little slower than usual. Not surprisingly, Amethyst didn't seem to notice or think much of it, according to her face. Steven probably shouldn't have either, though there was something important about the action. Remembering his conversation, Steven continued. "I was thinking maybe it wasn't using that acid stuff on me. Or maybe I'm just made of sterner stuff."

Amethyst snorted. "'Course," she said in a mock epiphany, like she was foolish for not realizing it from the start. "You're obviously way tougher." Steven grinned, not saying anything. His friend nodded skeptically with another amused chuckle, then seemed to have a sudden thought.

"What was the second thing?" she asked Steven, curious.

"Second thing?" Steven responded. Noticing that Pearl seemed to be a tad farther away than he had initially wanted, he sped up again. It probably wasn't impolite to blame Amethyst on his brief slowing down, since Steven counted that as a compliment to her laugh. Still, he wondered what second thing Amethyst could be referring to. "Second what?"

"Y'know," Amethyst said with a wave, "why you were lookin' at my face. You looked kinda… focused."

Well, in retrospect, that was one way to put it. Steven recalled that he had, in fact, mentioned that there were two reasons why he looked at it so intently, the first being more of an excuse than any real justification. For a few moments, Steven stared off into space. "Your face," he intelligently stated, drawing a complete blank on what to say. It seemed impossible to mention her blush without getting teased about looking at it. He didn't really mind Amethyst's usual jokes, but something about looking so intently at it seemed rude, like it implied something Steven would rather not admit to. What that was, he still had no clue.

 _"Probably not bad,"_ Steven reminded himself. That fact almost made him admit his lack of knowledge simple and cleanly, but not knowing the precise definition of what characteristic he attributed to Amethyst's smile made his apprehension persist, like there was a possibility of it being offensive without his understanding. If there wasn't that one previous thought that troubled her, Steven would probably discuss his own right now. The problem was that there _was_ that one thought that troubled Amethyst, so talking about a thought that troubled him would do little to alleviate it.

Some seconds passed. Amethyst squinted her eyes at him, obviously a little suspicious. Not that she intended, but Steven felt a bit worse for staring at her now. Honestly, he really wasn't sure why it warranted so much concern; all he knew for certain was that it did. Knowing that feeling shouldn't have followed the generally good feelings he and Amethyst just shared intensified his paranoia, meaning the grand sum wasn't exactly relaxing (nor something he still felt like actually discussing). "Yeah," Amethyst started again, filling the silence that had taken the place of Steven's answer. "That's what I was wonderin' about. My face. And, y'know, you lookin' at it."

"Oh, that," Steven responded just a bit too early to be deemed normal. He knew honesty was supposed to be an easy choice, even more so considering Amethyst's laid-back way of understanding, but Steven didn't want to accidentally give her something else to worry about. The less that could trouble her, the better; and when she had at least two concrete sources of concern, adding a third didn't seem too nice of a thing to do. "It's nothin'."

While that wasn't a complete lie, Steven didn't think Amethyst bought that. He doubted he would've if he were in her shoes. Weirdly, though, Amethyst didn't press the matter. All that happened was a brief pause of silent seconds, and then Amethyst sighed. Describing it as troubled seemed a tad too accurate. "M'kay," she seemed to wave off.

Now that didn't feel like the typical Amethyst that Steven knew and loved. Far be it from him to complain about something going his way, but Steven honestly expected Amethyst to at least pry a little. She didn't even try to _tease_ him about it. Worried, Steven looked down at her, and had his fears realized. Just like before, Amethyst wore that troubled expression, her features pulled into an almost guilty frown.

Having almost an internal panic, Steven quickly thought for something to rid Amethyst of whatever concern she was feeling. His steps naturally quickened, bringing him a bit closer to the rest of the group. Neither Pearl's nor Garnet's proximity offered any ideas to comfort Amethyst. Talking of Amethyst's mystery problem didn't seem to help, so action seemed like the better option to Steven. What action to take, Steven didn't know. He simply did the first thing his mind told him to do, having derived some spontaneous idea from the face he was currently looking at. If he bothered to analyze his plan first, he would've found traces of that similar unknown feeling from Amethyst's pleasing grin.

Swiftly, with the same rush that came with most last-minute thoughts, Steven bent down towards Amethyst and planted a small kiss on her cheek.

The caves seemed to grow quieter for a moment. Then Steven realized that was because his footfalls had stopped, more or less when he recognized what he did. Amethyst probably recognized it too. The two looked at each other for a short while; Steven found a random part of his brain note how the odd blush he tried to rid Amethyst of had instead intensified. This part was also the one to note how he and Amethyst seemed to have that boost of color in common.

 _"Definitely not bad."_

After some time comparable to the stare, Amethyst spoke. At least, Steven generously assumed she did. "…uhm," the violet Gem uncertainly began, appearing dumbfounded. She attempted several times to find an accurate response to say, but apparently couldn't quite succeed. After three or so single-syllable starts, Amethyst managed to get a word out. "Wha—what—"

Suddenly, Amethyst's words were interrupted by a faint droning noise. Finding the source at the odd location of her face, she looked down at her cheeks alongside Steven. The soft noise slowly increased in pitch as the scar across Amethyst's face gave off a faint light of it's own, rivaling the darker purple underneath. Both Gems looked on silently as the wound adorning her cheekbones withdrew from her face, slowly but surely. The cut diminished in size over the course of about a dozen seconds before fading entirely, no remnants of it visible to the naked eye.

"There!" Steven exclaimed, grinning. In what manner, he wasn't quite sure. A hefty portion of his smile could probably be described as embarrassed, though he hoped that wasn't too obvious. The blood in his face couldn't have helped. There was an amount of genuine happiness, though it leaned more towards some kind of ardor. Plus, getting an exact scale of how much odd ardor was difficult when it blended so well with an awkwardness that shouldn't have existed on paper. Steven looked down at Amethyst, finding her seemingly at a complete loss. In the regard of why a complete loss was deemed fitting, Steven was too. Rushing over the act of thinking, Steven instinctively forced some more words out of his mouth. "All better! Don't need to worry about that now!"

Steven's questionably loud statement of relief echoed out into the cave's stony walls, totally alone. Even the yellow bulbs surrounding both Gems felt like an awkwardly silent crowd at a play. Amethyst brought up an arm to touch her restored face, but she didn't seem too aware of doing so. Her eyes appeared to be fixated on some point on the horizon before snapping to Steven. Nothing was said, either for the fact of confusion or dramatic effect, but either way, Steven felt the need to fill the silence. Words would probably be more appreciated over meaningless sounds, though.

"Man!" he said a little too loudly again. Steven felt his jaw stiffen in place just a little as he smiled at Amethyst, that good/tense line dividing two emotions he felt blurring with every word. "It's, uh, a good thing that worked, or else that would've been really awkward!"

Maybe meaningless sounds would've been the better option.

"Uh…" Amethyst started again after some time. Steven could only guess at what she was thinking now, though felt that he should've been able to do more than that. Currently, a kind of other-worldliness was felt in the air; not something awkward by itself, but something with enough unnecessary mystery to make the situation awkward. Could that much be found in just a simple kiss on the cheek? "Y-yeah. Good thing."

Steven hummed, then found out that his hum rather closely resembled the one Amethyst gave when she tried dismissing the first mystery problem. That probably meant it wasn't too convincing of an affirmation. Still, Steven couldn't offer much else to say. The only thing he could think of stating was the blush still adorning Amethyst's face, which would achieve the exact opposite of what he intended.

"Yeah…" Amethyst sighed with a brisk nod. Now Steven felt her expression to be a little ponderous, most likely on why Steven's healing was as awkward as he said it could've been. It only strengthened the notion of her features being tied to his own. Steven held his breath, trying to come up with answers for questions Amethyst most likely wouldn't even ask. That seemed a bit familiar to him. Fortunately or unfortunately, Amethyst wasn't being as curious as she usually was. Or maybe she already knew the answers. "Well… thanks."

Steven's smile lost a little of its inexplicable anxiety at the familiarity. Curious or not, at least Amethyst didn't seem as self-concerned as previously. Maybe a little shocked, but Steven allowed that much, being a little shocked himself. "You're welcome," Steven slowly granted in response, noticing how Amethyst didn't appear to worry about an explanation for the moment. The boy instinctively bowed after his thanks, to which Amethyst gave the faintest laugh. Thankfully, it was still a rather nice noise.

Amethyst shook her head, like she was trying to clear some thoughts. Steven would've done the same, had he not been paying so much attention to the expression before him. The expression this time, not the face itself. Both things seemed a bit better after Steven healed Amethyst's scar; after the act of healing her scar was felt to be something different. She seemed like she wanted to say something else following her small laugh, though not exactly sure what. Before she could come to a decision, someone else spoke up.

"Steven!" Pearl's exasperated voice called from the gloom once more. Recalling her presence, Steven tore his eyes from Amethyst's face and looked up to see the tall Gem returning. Evidently, Steven had ceased his walking for a little longer than he thought. Pearl continued talking to him as she strode to his side, carrying an air of blameless irritation. "Please try to stay with us. It's not safe for you to keep falling behind like that."

"Oh, sorry, Pearl." Right, Steven was walking, not just talking to Amethyst. Coincidentally, both tasks were for her to sake. Pearl gently pushed the boy on, now walking with him instead of in front of him. Garnet also retreated back to the other Gems, but still stayed just a small distance ahead. She also kept her face outwards, but Steven could nearly feel the small smile on her lips. He had begun to understand some of the suspicion Amethyst evidently directed towards Garnet from before.

Gradually, Steven resumed walking, taking a couple seconds to look back down at Amethyst. Whatever thought that emanated from her hug seemed to be pushed to the back of her mind, but Steven still couldn't read her. Definitely not as well as he could before. He didn't feel to be meeting expectations when he took into account the earlier talk he shared with Amethyst. Being optimistic as he was, though, Steven was content with having her no longer upset regardless.

Steven eventually looked away from Amethyst (admittedly after a little longer than anticipated) and back up at Pearl. The tall Gem's expression didn't fit into any one category, resembling a hybrid of surprise and… irritation? No, she didn't seem annoyed. More grudgingly contemplative. Since Amethyst didn't offer any conversation to Pearl, Steven did so for her.

"What'cha thinking, Pearl?" he asked. Nobody stopped walking, but after a couple seconds, Steven could feel the several glances at him. A little more disconcerting than he'd expected. Regardless, Steven kept looking at Pearl, at least attempting to keep the normality he'd issued. Pearl didn't make any move to change her features aside from a natural-looking softening. She hesitated for a moment, like she was searching for the right words.

"About…" She paused, then sighed. Her expression didn't exactly harden back up, but it shifted to the more professional look accompanying missions such as their current one. If it wasn't so obviously directed at Amethyst, Steven wouldn't have thought much of her gaze. "…Amethyst."

Steven frowned, barely stepping over bulb just a tad smaller than the others. He assumed Pearl knew that simply saying Amethyst's name wasn't exactly descriptive. And if he was suspicious, who knew what Amethyst felt. In an attempt to get a better idea, he glanced back down at her. Not surprisingly, she seemed a lot more interested in Pearl's thoughts than previously.

"Wanna explain?" Amethyst asked before Steven could, a sliver of cautiousness in her voice. Steven pointed his curious expression back up at Pearl, who now had a little trouble meeting Amethyst's gaze. A minor idea began gnawing at Steven from how secretive the Gems were acting, though it was little more than a vague concept. Pearl looked like she wanted to simply say "no" to Amethyst's request, but common etiquette dictated otherwise. The tall Gem sighed, then answered carefully.

"I was… contemplating your Gem." At this, Steven could feel Amethyst relax a tad, though not fully. Honestly, he didn't remember her tensing up in the first place, but reasoned Pearl took some of his attention herself with her first answer (whether on purpose or not). She continued after a brief pause, now returning her eyes to Amethyst's. "I'm still worried about it. Who knows what could happen now?"

Some severity was carried in Pearl's statement, slightly dampening the mood. As though it was cheery in the first place, but still, Steven didn't enjoy the thought of something happening to Amethyst. He didn't like it, but as usual, Pearl was right; if nothing like Amethyst's deceptive restoration had occurred before, there was no real telling the extent of what could happen. Most scenarios ended with Steven forcefully cutting off his thought process early for his own sake.

"Well…" Steven began, finding his earlier optimism. Holding Amethyst evidently helped, as he found it rather quickly. Looking back down at her, Steven returned her curious expression with a genuine smile, not at all contemplating whatever she was upset about before. "Whatever happens, I'll be here to help."

Amethyst looked a little surprised after a second, then matched Steven's expression seemingly without thought. "Right," she breathed out, shaky but gaining confidence. The smallest boost of color came back to her cheeks, but it had a kind of subtlety that distanced itself from the inexplicably troubled one from before. Maybe he couldn't solve the issue Amethyst was concerned about for the time being, but at least Steven was able to help her forget about it. "You will, won't ya?"

Steven didn't say more, as he felt his continued simper did enough. A brief moment of understanding let him know that Amethyst confirmed that much. "'Course," he started, "I ain't—"

"Are we close?" Pearl suddenly interrupted, a little louder than usual. Startled, Steven moved his eyes back to her, finding a small amount of her professional expression as strained. Amethyst would probably agree. Logically, Pearl put some more volume in her voice due to Garnet's more forward position of the group, but as logical as Pearl usually was, her loudness didn't seem to be for that reason.

Garnet seemed a little startled, which didn't really fit Garnet's demeanor, then barely irked, which fit a tad better. She wasn't explicitly upset, but still had the kind of subtle frown that came with reprimanding Steven for doing something she wanted to take part in. This was usually also alongside Amethyst, the boy noted. Steven could guess the fusion's expression was due to Pearl's voice, whether from the volume or interruption. After a knowing sigh, Garnet answered, losing some of her conspicuous nature.

"Now that you mention it," the dark Gem answered, turning around, "we are rather close." Just as she finished her statement, Garnet's walk took a hard right without much reason. Confused, Steven and Pearl followed her, noting the inefficient path they were taking. They gave a silent thanks that the fusion's future vision wasn't entirely malfunctioning as their previous encounter might've implied.

True to her word, Garnet had led the others to the decrepit looking warp pad within the minute. Unlike the rest of the cavern, the pad's close proximity wasn't filled with yellow stones or the bones of the less fortunate. Its sight was more than a little relieving, to say the least; not only for the fact of its calm appearance, but also for its severance as an exit. After seeing it for the first time about a half-hour ago (Steven was honestly having a hard time gauging exactly how much time was spent within the cave's confines) the boy felt that seeing it now was more of a good sign than ominous.

"Oh, _finally_ ," Amethyst said with obvious relief. Steven agreed to her statement, following Garnet onto the pad's shiny surface before Pearl did the same. For a brief moment, each Gem surveyed the darkness around them. Despite spending a relatively short visit to the cave, a lot was felt to have happened. Maybe that was just Steven, but he reasoned Amethyst most likely thought likewise. The boy looked down at the Gem in his arms, finding her with a ready smile. It was a pleasing sight, for a multitude of reasons.

After assessing Amethyst's more relaxed grin, Steven copied it and turned towards Garnet. The face above him held another conspicuous grin that incited more suspicions, admittedly, but by now, it felt almost good-natured. Like Garnet was holding onto a punchline to a joke she would gladly tell later. While that maintained a little mystery as to what exactly she was thinking, it was satisfactory for the time being. Turning to Pearl made Steven think she had taken that more disconcerting suspicion into her own stern expression.

As Steven thought of a polite way to ask about that, Garnet held out her hands, and with a flash of blue light, the dark underground was left empty once more.

* * *

 **A/N:** And there it is. Did you know the first draft of this story was written when I was fourteen? I have more info on that on my author page thingymajig. Dunno if you're interested in the history of a lesser-read fanfiction, but maybe you are? I dunno, you're your own man/woman/anything-in-between. I say it often, but I hope to see you in the next chapter!


	6. Knowledge, II

**A/N:** Fun fact: the main reason this story has a T rating instead of a K+ rating is because the first draft of this story was drastically darker. Like, _unnecessarily_ dark. I'm very much glad that I changed the final version of this story so much. However, you might notice that this story still has a T rating, and that's for two reasons; **1)** The implied death from the bones in the cave in previous chapters, and **2)** The last chapter. I'll let you imagine why. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter (even though it's my second-least favorite). See you around, love! Have a good one!

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _VI: Knowledge, Part II_

And, after a few moments, an entirely different location was empty no longer.

A brilliant flash of blue rained from the sky, landing on the round surface of another warp pad. For a brief couple of moments, azure light illuminated the surrounding area, casting cool shadows across rocks and vegetation. Local wildlife flitted away, startled by the sudden explosion of brightness. A few seconds passed, and three silhouettes appeared within the blue. The shortest of which took a moment to assess that they were no longer underneath the Earth's surface, then leaped forwards in a manner only able to be described as happy.

"Freedom!" Steven happily exclaimed, landing on the wet grass with a thump. Not the dull thud of rock, or the crack of bone, but a cushioned thump on actual grass. Soft, green, honest to good _grass_. The shaft of light that brought them to the greenery hadn't even fully dissipated when Steven took a deep breath of clean air, unpolluted with dirt or soot. He was sure the others would agree to his relief of being back on the surface. Sure enough, Pearl's first statement had a definite lack of stress.

"Ah, that's _much_ better," Steven heard the Gem breathe out. Still smiling, he turned backwards to face Pearl, observing how her "professional" expression was stowed away for the moment. It only enforced the fact that the awful ordeal induced by the cat-Gem earlier was now over, regardless of any lasting damage it had inflicted. Still, the manner Pearl had held onto her expression suggested that their target wasn't the only thing worrying her. Steven decided to enjoy her current happiness rather than ruin it with inquiry, so his mouth stayed shut. Whatever stern-ness she had earlier was evidently erased by the change of surroundings, diminishing the need to know of it's cause.

Certainly, the fresh air somewhat contributed to Steven's decision. All he needed now was for the scar in Amethyst's Gem to be restored and he wouldn't even have to acknowledge that some gloomy cave existed in the first place. Since the still night everyone just entered seemed to epitomize the essence of calm, Steven followed suit, allowing a little relaxation for himself.

The combined effect of both warping and such an obvious difference in atmospheres definitely denoted a brief moment of relaxation. Even Garnet appeared to agree to that, taking a small pause to tilt her head up. She continued looking at the sky as she walked to Steven's side, that permanent smile still pulling her lips upwards. A couple stars reflecting off of her sunglasses incited Steven to follow her example, and the boy turned his gaze to follow Garnet's.

One word could sum up the sight; "Wow."

Hearing Amethyst say likewise confirmed that was an accurate reaction. Steven looked up at the many motes of light dotting the sky, taking a moment to appreciate how distanced this warp pad was from the light pollution of any towns or cities. Different streaks of colors weaved their way through the stars, producing a sight one usually equated to heavenly or even mystic. In the cloudless night, a crescent moon shone so bright it was difficult to even remember the sizable base on it. The chill air touching Steven's face only added to the serenity, full of a peaceful stillness matching the night's calm. Steven wasn't too aware of it, but for a short while, he simply stared at the stars alongside Garnet, transfixed by the bright cosmos above.

Barely, Steven could hear Pearl take a few steps on the wet grass before they abruptly stopped, most likely at the same moment she noticed the work of art above her. "That's even better," the tall Gem muttered, sounding more than a little captivated. With everyone taking a moment to appreciate being back on the Earth's surface, Steven found himself grinning. That was also felt to be an apt reaction. This time, Amethyst doing likewise didn't necessarily confirm that, but Steven could still appreciate a smile.

Amethyst, still secure in his arms, provided him with such without much active thought. Not that she needed air, but she took a deep breath regardless, partly to copy her carrier and partly because it was relieving anyways. A good change of pace after the oppressive air of the underground. It encouraged Amethyst to focus on the bright side of things, which was getting a little easier to find. More or less, at least.

For the time being, Amethyst only bothered concerning herself with the present tense; the boy actively holding her didn't make that too easy of a task, but having some practice before in her long life helped. Ironically, Steven himself did too, in a way. Amethyst took a moment to push that thought (as well as _that_ thought) away before relaxing completely into the boy's arms.

According to the secure grip ever so slightly increasing, Steven noticed that. Amethyst didn't enjoy having to work out if that was good or not, feeling that shouldn't have even constituted a choice. Just before she could think of a way to diminish her own comfort, Steven decided to add to it with a quick drop, nearly a fall. Obviously, because Steven was himself, he made sure to tighten the grasp on Amethyst before sitting on the ground, stretching his legs outwards. It wasn't jarring, but it certainly woke Amethyst up. Quietly, she looked at Steven, who gave her a wide smile alongside a blatantly content "Better!"

Amethyst didn't try to hesitate, but doing so made her effort a self-fulfilling prophecy. "…yep," she said simply, adjusting herself to more comfortably sit in Steven's arms. Then, realizing that was difficult, settled naturally anyways. Looking skywards encouraged a more optimistic outlook on the current situation (or, more accurately, _her_ situation), though her recent discovery wasn't exactly something she could so easily push under the rug and forget about.

In reality, Amethyst did want to continue enjoying the sky above her, but that ended up being difficult too. Not that she intended for that, either. Steven was making her do a lot of things that she didn't mean to as of late. And no, she didn't hold that against him. Admittedly, Amethyst found herself still enjoying the boy's presence, though focusing too much on why didn't help. If she spent all her time trying to work out what she was "allowed to do" or what was deemed as "too much", then Amethyst doubted she'd do much of anything.

The way she saw it, simply acting like she did before was fine, so long as Steven was unaware of how much she actually _did_ enjoy his presence. He seemed almost clueless on what wasn't solely friendly. Steven was definitely the kind of person to not look for much beyond that. Maintaining his place in the dark did seem to become more difficult with each passing minute, but Amethyst's tactic of just being a good friend was working so far. She only hoped that it wouldn't keep getting _more_ difficult.

 _"Keep dreamin',"_ she could hear herself say. Less being cynical, more being realistic.

Thankfully, Steven still didn't seem too aware of what Amethyst had implied when she called him _her_ Steven. Looking up at him, Amethyst saw his gaze still fixated on the stars above, not paying too much mind to her thoughts. She wasn't going to complain about that. The less his eyes were on her, the better. Amethyst followed his eyes back up as she saw Garnet stretch her arms above her head.

Given that their mission wasn't exactly what one would call strenuous, Amethyst had a hard time figuring out why she did what she did. Assuming Garnet was simply being mysterious on purpose (not exactly too unusual of an idea), Amethyst kept her eyes upwards, focusing on the sky alongside the Gem still holding her. A following thump resounded next to Amethyst, surprising her enough to look towards the noise.

Garnet had placed herself next to Steven, that persistent smirk still plastered on her lips. She had more-or-less copied his position, stretching her legs out and propping her arms back in a more relaxed pose. Amethyst had to wonder if the way Steven used his arms was more relaxing. Wordlessly, the fusion beside them looked towards Amethyst, the two caught in an unidentifiable conversation while Steven kept committing the sky to memory.

Amethyst, suspecting that Garnet was attempting to get her attention, waited for her to speak. All three of Garnet's eyes were felt as the fusion refused to offer any conversation, causing Amethyst to uncomfortably look away. It was more than likely that Garnet wasn't exactly looking for anything, but Amethyst still wasn't one for any kind of inquisitive eye contact. Especially now of all times.

"You seem chill," she abruptly remarked on instinct, still forcing her eyes upwards. Though she mentioned Garnet's relaxed state in an effort to increase the normality of the situation, Amethyst felt that her statement was a little too automatic to be deemed casual. Garnet didn't seem to notice either way. In fact, Garnet didn't seem to notice at all, unlike the obvious turn of Steven's head.

Amethyst, surprised by the lack of response, hesitantly risked a look back at Garnet's features, pretending not to notice Steven's interest. Still the fusion smirked, looking at Amethyst in a borderline condescending way. Obviously not _actually_ condescending, but still something along the lines of knowing more than Amethyst did. It might've been good-natured, but that didn't eliminate any suspicions the Gem had.

Once Steven followed Amethyst's eyes, the fusion beside them spoke, offering her version of an explanation; the equivalent of adding more questions, really. "Nice night out," Garnet said flatly, looking up at the stars with such apparent purpose it was impossible to tell what her precise purpose was. With the relatively low light giving little glares or shines, Amethyst could've almost seen her eyes behind her sunglasses. Thinking she could see her wink was probably pushing the envelope.

Recalling that wasn't too unlikely in Garnet's case, all things considered, Amethyst humored herself with a sigh. "Yeah, not too bad," she casually downplayed the sky above. Admittedly, it was an impressive sight, but focusing on it wasn't too easy. Attempting to do so felt too purposeful, to the point of making any attention towards the sky futile. The surroundings, similarly calm as they might've been, didn't offer much to distract Amethyst either. She supposed she could use that reasoning to explain why focusing on Steven was as automatic as it was.

Not even a few seconds passed when Amethyst found her eyes moving from the sky to him. Even when paired with the fact that he was carrying her, the logical reasons Amethyst looked at him were rendered irrelevant when he smiled back. As a result, the one reason Amethyst accepted for putting her attention to him was that he had kind of a nice smile. Simple, but pleasant. Boyish, one could say. Genuine.

 _"Hm,"_ Amethyst thought to herself in a tone usually accompanying a shrug, finding the most accurate description last. " _Little_ _cute, actually."_

Wait, now, was that too much? Or just a friendly compliment?

"Think it couldn't be better," Steven eventually responded to Amethyst's admittance, almost softly. While that did interrupt Amethyst trying to figure out if she lost her thinking privileges, it didn't really help her heart slow down. The fact that he was still smiling didn't either.

"It'll work, right?" Amethyst asked Garnet, again a little too fast. She reminded herself to pace her thoughts a little as compensation for the quickness her heartbeats induced. She also reminded herself not to worry about exactly whose fault it was for her heart quickening in the first place. Amethyst's question was later paired with an inquisitive expression, though the delay between her inquiry and the change of her features couldn't have helped her case much. Trying to recover, Amethyst explained herself further. "The fountain? Not gonna just... I dunno, _explode_ me or something?"

From this, Garnet seemed to snort, though it was nearly inaudible. What were audible were the soft footsteps of Pearl as she approached the group, maintaining the quiet. She didn't copy the other two sitting Gems, instead taking to a cross-legged position with a sigh. Who knew what _she_ had to be troubled about. With her following the others' examples, each of the Crystal Gems sat in silence, each with varying degrees of comfort.

Steven inquisitively looked at Garnet, curious about her answer. Amethyst was a little curious too, though she wasn't really looking for any specific answer. Simply saying an answer would suffice, but getting one could prove to be difficult when it was so obviously already known. Eventually, Garnet spoke, merely confirming what the others had suspected.

"I'm sure it will," Garnet answered slowly, almost mimicking Steven's softness. Amethyst took a moment to note how Garnet refused to look at her while answering before absentmindedly nodding, understanding Garnet wasn't one to offer much of a conversation. Unfortunately for her, not a whole lot was offered to distract Amethyst beyond that. That was a little ironic when Amethyst considered how often she got distracted on a daily basis. Ironic, but not too funny.

Regretfully, Amethyst forced herself to partake in the calm relaxation everyone was adhering to, stretching as much as Steven's arms would allow with a sigh. Admittedly, Amethyst found it a little odd that he continued to hold her rather than simply place her on the ground beside him. The distance to put her down wasn't exactly intimidating at a mere foot. Amethyst looked back at Steven, looked to the sky, reminded herself not to stare, then looked at Steven again in an attempt to read his thoughts easier.

 _"It's_ just _Steven,"_ she chastised herself. This _was_ the same guy she joked around with on a daily basis, the same guy she usually got in trouble alongside with. It's not as though he drastically changed following any of the recent events; rather, Amethyst simply caught a deeper glimpse of exactly how far his sympathy ran (turns out, pretty darn far) in the first place. Any "changes" in the past half-hour were more pleasant discoveries than anything else. The boy holding her was still the same Steven that Amethyst knew and loved.

But then, that was the problem.

Amethyst supposed that actually enjoying the respite would do her some good, but with her friend in such close proximity, doing so would prove to be somewhat of a challenge. She thought for a bit, wondering how best to follow after her companions. Unfortunately, the one solution to her conundrum felt a tad awkward, and subsequently the worst option. Since it was the _only_ option, it was also technically the best, but Amethyst didn't really look at it in that light.

"Hey, Steven?" she uncertainly spoke up, hoping to grab only his attention. That hope was a little desperate, however subtle Pearl and Garnet might've attempted to be. Drawn from the stars again, Steven turned his head back towards the violet Gem, curious. It was his face that made Amethyst's request a little more difficult, both for it's implications and aesthetics. Reminding herself to focus on _only_ the surface, Amethyst gulped, then continued. "You mind just... putting me down? Just for a bit!"

Amethyst quickly added that last bit when she saw Steven's face drop for just a fraction of a second, but she still felt a bit bad for what seemed like a normal request. She felt even worse for knowing it was only for her sake, and worse still when for knowing Steven probably wanted to say "no" for completely justifiable reasons. Even Amethyst felt as though his want to carry her was logical, regardless of any potential bias she might've had. Thankfully, Steven didn't make too much of a deal out of Amethyst's question, responding with a natural (and barely surprised) "Oh! Yeah, sure. No problem."

Nodding, Steven stretched to the empty spot directly beside him, still moving Amethyst with that tinge of softness that was always unique to someone like him. Well, as far as Amethyst knew, that tinge of softness was unique to _just_ him. With a total lack of fanfare or fireworks, the Gem was simply put on the ground, feeling the wet grass brush her bare shoulders. After all that's happened as of late, Amethyst didn't really trust her mind, but she could've sworn Steven almost hesitated before putting his arms behind him, now copying Garnet's relaxed pose.

Pushing that thought aside (for obvious reasons) Amethyst sat up, still feeling a tad guilty for such a small request. Sure, it might've appeared as though Steven really didn't mind, but the relevance of his earlier explanation of why Amethyst was carried in the first place gave her some doubts. She nearly curled her legs up to her chest before recalling that wasn't too fitting with the others' positions. Crossing her legs only made Amethyst realize how much more comfortable she was just a few moments ago.

Now with a healthy couple of inches between her and her companion, Amethyst gave another go at enjoying the stars and calm everyone was so captivated by. A few twinkled, shimmering their light with what could've appeared to be content. Amethyst looked up silently a few seconds, blinked, then looked at her friend's expressions.

Pearl seemed relaxed for the moment, obviously being a fan of serenity. Knowing her for so long let Amethyst see that fraction of persistent concern that Pearl always held onto in her features, whether she wanted to or not. It probably wouldn't be too narcissistic to assume she was still worried about the scar cut into Amethyst's Gem. With Garnet's relaxation, the violet Gem thought they could all afford a couple minutes to themselves without Amethyst, as she would put it, _exploding._

Garnet's features closely resembled Pearl's, as far as her mood was concerned. Of course, this was without that worry of Amethyst's well-being (not that Amethyst was insulted by her lack of concern). Garnet appeared to have lost a little humor in whatever secret she kept to herself, now genuinely enjoying the night. That was one of the many things she never seemed to bore of.

Maybe the shift in Garnet's attention should've been relieving to Amethyst, but while Garnet was no longer smirking to herself about her secret, Amethyst was still intrigued. Trying to work it out on her own was futile, speaking from experience, but Garnet would usually tell one way or another. Amethyst tried not to think about how unsatisfying that answer was before moving her eyes to her closest (both literally and figuratively) friend.

A minor blur of movement occurred, then Amethyst could observe Steven's gaze still directed upwards. This would be as normal as the others if the way he craned his neck looked comfortable in any way. It would also be normal if he wasn't Steven, obviously, but Amethyst forced her mind to work in the context of "friend" and absolutely _nothing else._ The fraction of a second where she could see his eyes move contributed to the oddness of Steven's gaze, too. Would it be narcissistic to think that he was looking at her?

While the answer should've been rather blatant, Amethyst checked past herself just to make sure. Seeing an unimpressive couple of stones among the grass confirmed that, yes, Steven _was_ looking at her. She could guess as to why. Amethyst wasn't about to mention that, finding that would just add more unnecessary awkwardness to what should've been a restful moment.

After surveying everyone's expressions, Amethyst came to the conclusion that they were generally more content than she attempted to be. Aside from Steven, who was honestly a little poor at hiding things. Amethyst took a moment to blame herself for his feeling uncomfortable. Hoping she didn't somehow manage to break his spirit again with what should've been a simple action, Amethyst thought for another solution. She also thought it was a little weird how much she was bothering to think as of late; less surprising (but still weird) when she knew it was still because of Steven.

Hesitantly, Amethyst begun reaching an arm out, trying not to stare at Steven as she did so. Whether he noticed her or not was irrelevant when putting her arm back to-

 _"Oh. He noticed me."_

For a couple brief moments, Amethyst looked at Steven, her mind blanking. Then, with about as much smoothness as sandpaper, Amethyst pretended to stretch her extended arm, stating how stiff she was from not moving for so long. That probably couldn't be further from the truth, but hopefully Steven didn't know that.

The young boy didn't give much information to his thoughts, simply blinking with an odd "Oh." After a couple more brief moments, he turned his eyes back upwards, though still seemed piqued by what exactly Amethyst intended. Gaining his interest was definitely _not_ what she intended. Defeated, Amethyst returned her arm to her side, not bothering to risk another glance at his features.

Amethyst sighed as quietly as she could, once again feeling a little bad for asking to be put on the ground (and for being somewhat of a hypocrite when she attempted to regain his contact only moments after losing it). The only reason for her request was to get a little physical distance between herself and him in an effort to diminish the obtrusiveness of... well, not to be rude or imply it was his fault, _him._ Unfortunately, Amethyst ended up decreasing her own comfort further _as well as_ Steven's, which felt like a capital offense when she loved him the way she-

"Mh-!" Amethyst abruptly hummed, feeling a hand on her shoulder. Instinctively, she turned towards it, already knowing who it belonged to. She had her doubts about Garnet stretching her own through the grass to reach her. After the initial surprise of Steven's contact, Amethyst was a little less surprised to see a small smile on the boy's face. He didn't offer any words, instead giving the smallest of nods, as though to say _"I understand, and it's fine."_

Amethyst, hoping Steven didn't _fully_ understand her thoughts, hesitantly reciprocated his nod, thankful that he was more comfortable with these kinds of small actions than she was. Though she wasn't proud of it, Amethyst found herself a little more comfortable with Steven's arm around her after the first few moments of surprise faded. Her feeling quickly rose to more than a little comfortable, and Amethyst's lips unconsciously pulled up into a smile, almost mirroring Steven's.

A glint on the edge of her vision incited Amethyst to move her eyes, and she did so, ending up looking back at Garnet's glasses. The fusion moved her head back to the earth, evidently just to look at Amethyst. Something familiar returned to her features; something that persuaded Amethyst to take a closer look at her expression. Steven seemed to do the same, unlike Pearl, who absentmindedly looked around. Amethyst would've given her more attention if Garnet hadn't taken all of it. She appeared to know this, as evidenced by-

 _"That smirk."_

"Garnet?" the purple Gem uncertainly began, appearing at a cross-roads. Despite only saying one name, each Gem looked at Amethyst inquisitively. She supposed that was inevitable when breaking the silence. Still, she tried not to be too bothered by their gazes (or, at least, not be quieted by them) before continuing. "Really… what're you thinking?"

Not surprisingly, Steven now moved his eyes towards Garnet, like Amethyst had previously. She assumed he would be as curious as herself, having noticed the odd behavior of the others. They weren't exactly too subtle, whether they tried to be or not. Steven's interest in whatever Garnet kept to herself appeared a little less wary than Amethyst's, though that might've had something to do with the current position of his arm. "Yeah," Steven inquisitively begun himself, "you kinda looked all suspicious. Uh, no offense. What's up?"

Garnet hadn't moved an inch, still fixated on either Amethyst or Steven. This was the one time Amethyst had trouble figuring out where the fusion's eyes were directed. Weirdly, she had no trouble seeing Pearl's eyes directed sideways, an uncomfortable expression adorning her features. Given the usual mannerisms when asking someone a question, Amethyst assumed it would've made more sense for them to be on Garnet in a similarly curious manner. Pearl's gaze wasn't even pointed towards Amethyst's nor Steven's self. How purposeful she was in avoiding any type of eye contact almost implied-

"You told _her!?_ " Amethyst suddenly exclaimed, jabbing a finger at Pearl. She would've matched her statement with an accusing jump, but Steven's arm somewhat discouraged any forceful movements. Regardless, Amethyst kept her frown toward's Pearl, who raised her hands in some silent defense. "But not _us?_ Oh, come _on,_ G."

As Amethyst's statement reverberated off the spires of stone on either side of them, Steven put two and two together after a noticeable hesitation. Amethyst could almost here the _*click*_ in his head. "Oh, _that's_ why you looked so upset," he said with a snap, back straightening. Realizing the implications of Amethyst's exclamation, he frowned at both Garnet and Pearl's startled faces. "Aw, how come we don't get to know whatever-it-is?"

Without much hesitation, Garnet rose a hand to explain herself. Or maybe she was going to give the standard "I don't know what you're talking about." Amethyst didn't get the chance to find out since Pearl spoke up before Garnet could.

"It's... delicate information," the tall Gem cautioned. The sliver of motherly concern from before took over her features, though finding out for what sake was a little difficult. While Amethyst was more used to seeing that expression given to Steven, she could nearly feel like it was for _her._ That wasn't found to be much comfort. Now a little irritated that Pearl (like always) received access to Garnet's info before Amethyst did, the violet Gem gave her the best scowl she could muster with Steven's arm still wrapped around her. She didn't need a mirror to know it wasn't too impressive.

"Ah, quit with that," she said bluntly, waving an arm at her. Garnet appeared to have been somewhat surprised by Pearl's initiative to answer for her before looking at Amethyst. She seemed to grow just a little more serious for a moment; not in the same unnecessarily professional manner that annoyed Amethyst, but in a more simple way. Like she understood what to say long before needing to say it. Compared to Pearl's attempt to dismiss the topic, it was more than welcome.

"I understand your curiosity," she began slowly, already causing Amethyst to groan. The tone Garnet used was one Amethyst universally recognized accompanying an unsatisfactory explanation. Steven, having heard it for about his life's entirety, was felt to have slumped in a similarly disappointed manner as Amethyst's groan. Having recognized how upset she managed to make the both of them after just four words, Garnet abruptly stopped, now rethinking her explanation.

Sure enough, her understanding expression changed to a more thoughtful one as both Steven and Amethyst grew curious once more. Pearl, noticing Garnet wasn't explicitly denying them an explanation like she had tried to do, appeared tense, most likely hoping that Garnet wasn't about to just give in. If it was something the fusion smiled about, Amethyst thought Pearl was being a tad over-dramatic, as per usual.

Now waiting her next statement eagerly, Steven slightly leaned forward, taking Amethyst with him. Some seconds of silence passed, then Garnet snapped. When a grin returned to her lips, Amethyst knew they still weren't going to be getting an explanation any time soon. "Tell you what," Garnet began to offer, now leaning forwards towards them in a similar manner. "I promise to tell you-"

"Yes!" Steven cheered a little too soon. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, Steven turned towards Amethyst with an upheld palm, already thinking their curiosity was going to be sated. He then began confused at Amethyst's unamused expression. "Hold your horses, bud," she began with some disinterest. "She said _promise to._ Means we still ain't knowing."

Steven frowned, analyzing Garnet's speech, then slumped back down. Amethyst was probably right, considering she's had far more experience with the fusion than Steven had. Relatively speaking. He began to draw his hand back before a resounding smack hit against it. "Still want the high-five," Amethyst muttered with a small chuckle. A bit of Steven's smile returned at this.

Thinking Steven would've understood if he was patient for just a second longer, Garnet unnecessarily cleared her throat to grab their attention again. Both looked to her with a sigh, awaiting her proposal. "I promise to tell you," she attempted a second time, still considering her words, "when it... becomes relevant."

Amethyst would've groaned again, but most of her disappointment was already settling in anyways. While she could understand that was Garnet's way of a compromise, it still felt like another "no" to her request to know. Was it _really_ that serious of a topic? Pearl made it appear so, but she did that with almost anything, so her tense expression didn't give much away.

Steven could evidently understand this, shrugging at Amethyst as if to say _"Oh well."_ She did the same, turning towards Garnet with a bit of a frown. "You know that's kind of a dumb answer, right?" she said; less of a question, more of an annoyed statement. Garnet didn't say anything, which roughly translated to a "yes."

Understanding that would have to suffice for now, Amethyst rolled her eyes with a shake of her head. Half of her was debating the pros and cons of annoying Pearl enough to tell her, as she may or may not have done before. Unfortunately, she doubted she could pull the Gem away from Garnet long enough to do so; it was likely that Garnet would see her plan from a mile away. Even more likely was that Garnet knew that she was contemplating her plan.

"Think we could get Pearl to tell?" Amethyst heard Steven whisper. While he did try to keep quiet, the total lack of any other noise made his statement a tad too conspicuous to be deemed stealthy. Even on the off chance that neither of the other Gems heard him (which Pearl's abruptly hardened expression contradicted), Amethyst's snort ensured that stealth wasn't the case. She smiled at Steven, a little more aware of the arm around her.

"I was just thinkin' about that," she answered honestly, not paying any mind to Pearl's unamused expression. Garnet's unchanged features told Amethyst that she was already aware of the "plan" Steven had hinted at, so she allowed herself a small chuckle, a slight amount of weight now relying on her friend's support. "Guess great minds think alike, huh?"

Steven laughed a little himself, agreeing that they were both veritable experts on the subject of getting what they want. Like his act of putting Amethyst on the ground, he didn't make any fanfare about Amethyst's gradual lean, to which she was still a little grateful for. It made enjoying the sky that much easier. With a lingering chuckle, Amethyst looked back up at the stars in one final attempt to enjoy them. For a brief moment, she did, disregarding how irritating it was to not get a straight answer out of Garnet; weird how lounging about with a best friend does that to a Gem.

While Amethyst wished she could say "something" about Steven had the pleasantly drastic effect on her, she knew why. He didn't, but she sure did, as much as she wanted to be blissfully ignorant and "buddy-buddy" like before. Regardless of how exactly Amethyst felt about Steven, she could appreciate the clarity of the space above them. The line that divided "friendly" and "more than friendly" had blurred so much after the recent events that Amethyst couldn't stop herself from commenting on the stars.

"Kinda romantic, almost," she muttered, still gazing upwards.

About two seconds passed. Amethyst blinked. Then she almost yelled from how hard her own hand slapped across her mouth, nearly fusing her lips together. At least her yelp would've been muffled. Still, that was a small comfort to nearly annihilating any relationship with Steven she might've owned at one point. Amethyst forced her eyes to swivel towards the boy beside her, a spontaneous rush of blood heating her face.

The expressions of the others seemed a bit less daunting than Steven's, though they were so irrelevant that Amethyst didn't bother to read them. She could take an educated guess; Pearl was probably confused, and Garnet was mysteriously smirking as always. Steven's expression, though, seemed almost scary to try and decipher. Call it paranoia, albeit justified paranoia. Eventually, Amethyst gulped and took a full glance at Steven's features, hoping for any kind of expression except "recognition."

Maybe "surprise", too, but at least that didn't directly translate to a full understanding of Amethyst's few words.

Oddly enough, Steven appeared only a tad surprised by Amethyst's minor slip. Amethyst supposed it wasn't to be too unexpected, considering how out of place her statement probably sounded. Even more so when it was coming from her, _especially_ in that tone. The one she used almost never, for a multitude of reasons.

Either from that uncharacteristic statement or how it was said, Steven looked surprised. The contents of his thoughts were another matter Amethyst didn't have the luxury of being able to identify so easily. After another agonizing delay that was likely prolonged over the course of a couple seconds, Steven responded. "Yeah, I guess it could be," he admitted with a shrug. He didn't say anything beyond that, returning his eyes upwards following another pause and leaving Amethyst unsure of whether or not she should still be holding her breath.

Since it was just three words that could've been two, Amethyst shouldn't have been expecting more than that as a response, really. Expecting otherwise was one of the many reasons she didn't really trust her own brain right now. According to his concise words, Steven didn't think too much of her statement, which was more than a small relief. However, Amethyst wasn't going to let her guard down any time soon (even more so _now_ more than ever) so she was rather hesitant to relax back into the previous position she held with such content. So much that looking upwards felt more like a moral obligation than any action with purpose. Appreciating the natural glimmers of the cosmos was a little low on her priority list at the moment. The top was finding out how practical it would be to sew her lips together.

It was starting to feel like a valid option.

"Hey, guys?" Amethyst heard at her side. Hesitantly, she looked at Steven, still desperately attempting to discern as much of his thoughts as she possibly could. Maybe if she still wasn't realizing how important it was to be quiet, she would've done a better job than just realizing he had something to say. That much was a little obvious when he asked for everyone's attention. Steven seemed to be looking towards Garnet, but Amethyst felt like he was talking more towards her. Then again, that could've been simple paranoia. Amethyst forced herself to push that thought away before listening to her friend. "Can we go heal Amethyst now?"

Of all the Gems (besides herself, obviously), Amethyst thought Steven was one of the last ones to get down to business. The fact that the one time he was the first to take initiative was also a time when it had to do with Amethyst's well-being wasn't lost on her, but she tried to push that thought to the back of her mind. It really only reached the middle.

Before even receiving a response or answer, Steven rose from the ground, gently removing his arm from Amethyst's shoulders. Just when she was about to complain about losing his contact, she was offered an open hand. For a moment, she looked at the palm, half-consciously assessing whether or not she should take it. Steven's smile made it an easy decision. Not too long after asking his question, Steven hauled Amethyst to her feet.

 _"Tight, but not forceful,"_ she noted.

Garnet answered Steven's request with a hardly surprised "Sure," but that didn't seem to matter much to Steven. He was already leading Amethyst towards the stone steps that led to the fountain's threshold when the words left Garnet's mouth, surprising everyone. Amethyst gave the determined Gem a lingering look before turning back towards the others, awaiting some kind of explanation. As Steven muttered "Cool," Amethyst realized the others didn't appear to have an explanation. Or, at the very least, they didn't seem to offer one.

Pearl, still confused, rose a single hand in silent protest to Steven rather jumping the gun. All that she said was a single syllable before appearing to rethink her words, not making any move to rise from the ground. Garnet followed suit, but didn't make any kind of fuss out of the situation. Not a single part of her expression seemed surprised or even questioning, which felt a little out of place compared to Pearl's obviously surprised demeanor. The only thing the fusion was doing was... smirking.

Frowning, Amethyst wondered once more what reason the fusion could have for so constantly pulling her lips up. Sure, she might've promised to tell Amethyst (and, by proxy, Steven) when "whatever it was" became relevant, but who _knew_ when that would occur. Being impatient (and also to ignore Steven's reliably recurring contact) Amethyst thought for any kind of detail that would tell her Garnet's mystery. Nothing within the previous week came to mind as important, so it was obviously something recent. But the only things that Amethyst was aware of as being both important and recent consisted of the talk she shared with Steven, the cat Gem they dealt with, and learning of exactly how Amethyst felt about Steven.

 _Exactly_ how she felt about him. As in, the reason she understood why her subconscious didn't make any complaints about the last stretch to the fountain's waters being made with only Steven.

 _"Wow,"_ Amethyst thought, slapping her forehead a little harder than usual with her free hand. _"I'm dense."_

* * *

 **A/N** **:** Initially, I almost _hated_ how this chapter came out, mainly because this is one of the only ones that I can say that I was "uninspired" when I wrote it. I went back and revised this chapter later after posting it, but I still feel like it's under par. Maybe that's the ol' critic talking, though. I hope you liked this rather uneventful chapter regardless. See you in chapter seven!


	7. Compromise

**A/N:** Hey, glad you're back! Or maybe you never left in the first place? I can't read your mind, I'm just trying to talk from the past through text online. Not exactly gonna be the most reliable. Anywho, this chapter is definitely in my top three favorites. Not only is this the longest one, but I put a special amount of care into this one, making sure that the location was written correctly and giving a ton of attention to simple fluff. Definitely a polished chapter. So I won't take up more of your time! Have a great day!

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _VII: Compromise_

Continuing to grasp Amethyst's hand, Steven led his friend by the others, subconsciously noting the surprise on their faces. Were it not for his own determination, he likely would've inspected them further. Not that he was surprised by _their_ surprise; even he could tell that going as purposefully as he did was a bit out of place. Evidently more than a bit, according to how Amethyst herself seemed startled by the tight grasp he used to lead her towards the fountain's stony threshold. Still, he kept his eyes forward rather than use them to admire the fountain's impressive design, the young Gem having a set goal in mind.

The few words that Pearl uttered almost directed his vision sideways, but Steven continued forward, having the off-hand hope that Amethyst wouldn't mind his almost forceful lead. She made no verbal complaints, following him after a few slow steps. Just as Steven reached the dilapidated stairs, he felt a sudden increase in the pressure on his hand. Given that he had a firm grasp already, sensing Amethyst's was a little harder than anticipated, though the sudden change felt in the rest of her arm helped. Steven glanced behind him, finding Amethyst a little closer than he would've assumed, nearly pressing her arm into his own. After another few steps, though, Steven could tell it was more of an effort to physically move forward more than any attempt to get closer to him.

Oddly enough, the reason for Amethyst to do so seemed to be a good distance away already. Her face looked tethered on Garnet's, like the two of them were having some kind of ultimate staring contest. Amethyst appeared to be winning. She focused on the fusion silently, a subtle tense-ness being felt in her whole body. Steven hadn't the slightest clue what Garnet was attempting to convey. Reading Amethyst's expression as simultaneously inquisitive and disdainful, Steven rose an eyebrow, but continued walking further. Amethyst followed seemingly without much thought, leering at Garnet all the way up until the stone gate surrounding the fountain broke their eye contact. The moment Garnet disappeared from his vision, Steven heard Amethyst begin a few mutterings he had trouble deciphering.

Part of the reason he had trouble understanding Amethyst's mutterings, he found, was the unusual, almost flustered expression adorning her face. Combined with the persistent blush that first settled in after Amethyst's atypically soft message of the sky almost being romantic, Steven hadn't the slightest clue _what_ she was so evidently bothered by. A couple of her statements, especially "...can't get any more relevant than _now..._ " could be interpreted as relating to whatever Garnet kept to herself, but Steven had even less information about that. Darn his refusal to eavesdrop earlier.

Amethyst didn't seem to pay much mind to the boy, still going through a wide variety of motions that would likely make more sense if Steven had the slightest inkling of what she was exactly upset about. Steven's steps gradually slowed, more and more of his attention being pooled towards his friend rather than walking. Her fragmented statements seemed to grow louder as the distance between their companions increased, allowing Steven to more easily read them. Hearing Amethyst almost growl out an incredulous statement of "...and she knew _before?"_ caused Steven to stop walking entirely, the Gem pausing just a few yards from the stony walls surrounding the fountain. Amethyst didn't appear to notice this, still pressed up a little closer than normal into Steven and grumbling incoherent messages of scorn to herself.

Just as Steven raised a hand alongside an inquisitive hum, Amethyst's statements reached an abrupt climax, the violet Gem nearly shouting "Pretty sure _I'm_ relevant!"

A few seconds passed as her statement carried into the open night sky, subtly bouncing off the stone spires past the fountain's gates. Then, Amethyst seemed to realize her friend's presence, proximity, and concerned expression all at once, changing her aggravated features into more surprised ones. Those subsequently transformed into an embarrassed expression, and the Gem looked down, not offering anything to disperse Steven's curiosity. The most she did was wave a stray bang from her eye with a quiet apology.

Steven, taking a moment to note how her blush now seemed a little justified, continued to look at Amethyst inquisitively, giving her a few moments to explain herself. She didn't, which wasn't too surprising to Steven. It was more than a little obvious that she felt no need to discuss whatever had just frustrated her so thoroughly, though that didn't diminish how Steven very much felt that need. Amethyst continued falsely inspecting her boots as Steven thought for a way to bring up the topic as politely as possible. Eventually, the boy realized that simply ignoring whatever Amethyst was troubled by was no longer the "right" decision, and hesitated slightly before opening his mouth.

"What's wrong, Amethyst?" he asked, a little of his earlier determination seeping into his voice.

Like he anticipated, Amethyst didn't seem to expect his tone, snapping her head upwards to face him. She seemed to take a moment to recite the automatic response she would likely give him before Steven pushed further. "Something _is_ wrong," he stated, more of a fact rather than any persuasive argument. It wasn't as though Amethyst explicitly _denied_ the possibility of something being wrong before; besides, Steven wasn't completely oblivious to the drastic changes in her demeanor. Amethyst looked at him for another few moments, understanding how obvious her actions were, and suddenly lost interest in her boots.

"What gave it away?" she conceded with a defeated sigh. Amethyst's face fell again, though this time it felt more like a gesture of disappointment rather than a refusal to look at her friend. There was something especially disheartening about the action that almost persuaded Steven to put a hand on her chin to lift her features. Feeling that might've made things a tad more awkward than they needed to be, Steven kept a hand at his side, the other still holding tight to Amethyst. After a short delay, Steven met her question honestly.

"Lots of things, really," he said as politely as he could, finding some accidental insult in stating how blatant Amethyst's trouble was. She wasn't exactly subtle, as much as she probably attempted to be. Steven continued after a short hesitation.

"Like, first there was that hug. Well, not the _hug,_ 'cause that was actually really nice, but... _after_ it." According to the braced expression Amethyst now wore, that seemed to be a bit of a sensitive topic. How something like a hug could be considered sensitive, Steven had no idea. Still, seeing as how Amethyst didn't appear to want to discuss it, he moved on. "Then you were really surprised when I said we hung out a lot, like I shouldn't have said that."

Another small pause was offered to Amethyst in case she wanted to say something. She didn't appear to want to discuss _that,_ either. Steven wasn't trying to _force_ her to talk, hoping that she would do so willingly, but he couldn't imagine what to do in the case that she _didn't._ Amethyst eventually realized the prompt Steven gave her, and slightly rose her head.

"It's not... that," she eventually drew out. Startled by her atypically quiet voice, Steven leaned in just a tad closer, hoping to be encouraging rather than suffocating. He couldn't tell which feeling she received, the Gem quieting in a way that was simultaneously bizarre and worrying. Amethyst was one of the _last_ people Steven would've assumed to be quiet. Weirder still was how she almost appeared guilty; as far as he knew, she hadn't done much to warrant any kind of guilty conscience. One rarely called the police for spending time with a friend, as forcefully spent as that time was. Steven almost dropped Amethyst's "issue" upon sensing her obviously uncomfortable state, but pushed further.

"There was when you said _we_ instead of _me,_ too," Steven continued, directing his eyes towards the stars above to avoid Amethyst's gaze. Then again, she didn't seem to want to meet his eyes, either. "You almost changed it, like you accidentally swore or something. And then there was..."

Finding that the most recent mention of how blatantly embarrassed Amethyst was after muttering "Kinda romantic" towards the sky was unnecessary and likely rude to mention, Steven fell silent. He didn't _intend_ to make Amethyst feel bad by any means; unfortunately, his words seemed to have that effect. Whether or not it made much sense, Steven felt a little guilty himself for bringing up the topic, though hoped that Amethyst could understand why he brought it back up. The way she kept her neck forced downwards made it difficult to tell. Sensing that she still didn't feel like speaking up, Steven swallowed his paranoia and placed a gentle hand under her chin.

"You know I _wanna_ help you, right?" he stated warmly, finally able to meet her eyes. Amethyst stared at him, wide-eyed. He could guess as to why, though continued regardless. "Problems need fixing, and that's what _better-than-best-friends_ would do, right? Help fix each other's problems?"

Still Amethyst looked at him, a mixture of surprise and awe held in her features. Steven took a brief moment to note how her blush made no signs of dissipating before being pulled into a rather sudden embrace. While initially surprised at her contact, Steven returned it graciously; just because it was unexpected didn't mean it was unwelcome. Plus, it allowed him to feel the tense brace of his friend be replaced by a comforting relaxation, meaning Amethyst likely received the better portion of what he initially intended. Pleasing, to say the least.

"Yeah, I know, Steven," she admitted almost inaudibly, maintaining their embrace. After her small utterance, Amethyst's grip tightened ever so slightly; not to any uncomfortable degree, but more to a level of security Steven was used to giving rather than receiving. It was... rather pleasant, sure, but almost worrying when Amethyst was the one giving out that security. Recalling the talk both of them shared, Steven became a little less worried, thinking of Amethyst's hug as more her being open rather than desperate or in the wrong state of mind. Understanding that Amethyst was willingly doing so gave Steven a bit more hope for gaining the opportunity to help her.

Not that he was too aware of it, but Steven felt his hand unconsciously tighten just a tad, enjoying her contact further. Hopefully that still conveyed a comforting idea instead of an awkward one. Some more pressure was felt from Amethyst as Steven felt her head rest on his shoulder, still not quite facing him while also putting him more at ease (ironically enough). The Gem continued speaking softly, offering a small window of understanding to her friend.

"I don't want..." she began, then paused. Steven felt her take a shaky breath more than he heard her do so, if only due to the close contact between them. She tried speaking again, losing a bit of her trademark choppiness in her voice. "I don't want to stop that, though. Being... better than a best friend, dumb as that probably sounds."

Half-consciously rubbing her back for reassurance, Steven thought the last part of her statement felt unnecessarily sewed on, sounding more like an attempt to regain her usual character. He also couldn't tell if she was referring to the terminology they had agreed on for describing their relationship or finding that her paranoia wasn't too justified. Personally, he agreed with the latter. There wasn't much- or rather, there wasn't _anything_ Steven could think of able to put a damper on something like their friendship. Evidently, Amethyst didn't agree, her voice being laced with more candor and emotion than she usually gave on most days. Forming a response to Amethyst's worry was pleasantly natural, though Steven still forced himself to avoid bringing Amethyst forward, understanding she was most comfortable where she was right now.

"But how that could happen?" the boy inquired honestly, trying to match her softness. For the most part, it likely came easier to him than to her, but the recent worry of his friend made him unsure. His own grasp tightened a tad for good measure. "It's just something wrong, right? Can't be anything _that_ bad."

Amethyst's hair lightly brushed against the side of Steven's face, giving him the impression that she was shaking her head as if to say _"Yeah, right."_ The softness of her locks would've been more appreciated if he wasn't still faced with a concrete wall instead of his friend. Almost imperceptibly, Amethyst's grip lessened, though she still held onto Steven in a way usually described as tightly. The violet Gem seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing slowly, a subtle reciprocation of Steven's rub being felt on his own back. "It ain't... right, I don't think. Sure as heck ain't _normal_."

Assuming she had more to say, Steven waited patiently, still holding onto his hope that she would tell him what was bothering her so much directly. It would happen eventually at the rate at they were going, but Steven felt like it still wouldn't happen soon enough. Call him impatient when it came to his better-than-best friend. Unfortunately, Amethyst didn't give any indication of talking further, holding onto Steven in silence. The boy noted how she was still managing to skirt around stating what the problem was while only piquing him further, meaning Steven was still uncertain as to what could bother her to such a degree _and_ not be said out loud. Attempting to convince Amethyst that she _could_ tell him anything, Steven filled the quiet for her.

"Problems usually _aren't_ right or normal," he told her, trying to give her as much of a supportive smile as he could while still not facing her. Steven thought for a moment, then decided that he didn't really have to wrap up his words in any form or manner, allowing them to be said as-is. "But there's really nothing that would make me stop being your friend. You're _Amethyst,_ remember?"

Again, Amethyst waited for a bit before trying to say anything in response. Though Steven might've been impatient in trying to help his friend, if she used the time to understand how genuine his statement truly was, he was in no rush. She could take as long as she wanted if she reached that understanding. The white-noise of the hand on Steven's back gradually lessened, as did the secure embrace between the both of them. Steven followed after Amethyst's example and gently removed his arm, allowing Amethyst to take a short step back.

An alarming amount of tiredness likely accumulated within the past minute could be seen in her expression, but ultimately, Steven was glad to be facing her again. Not only for being able to see her, but also for the fact that it likely meant she was starting to feel better. Complaining about how Amethyst's eyes were still not facing his was felt to be a little pessimistic to Steven, though he did keep his hand around her's to be safe. That, and he rather enjoyed her grasp in all honesty (especially if it meant he could more easily help her). His continued contact _did_ seem to have an effect, as Amethyst now seemed to be at least trying to open up to Steven. She hesitantly started a few sentences, found that a little difficult, then fell into a more thoughtful pose. Steven waited patiently as a rebuttal, then prompted her in order to aid her effort.

"What were you talking about before?" Steven asked slowly, hoping to naturally lead into the root of the problem. Betting on Amethyst's willingness persisting, Steven subconsciously began walking towards the fountain. For a moment, it didn't feel like he was going to restore Amethyst's Gem or even that he was revisiting the fountain for some dire reason. Instead, Steven thought the immediate atmosphere as just a calm, empty area to walk with his friend alone. Rather peaceful, he thought, especially when combined with the warmness of her skin. "You were talking to yourself, and I think it was something with what Garnet said, right?"

Amethyst, following Steven's slow pace, continued grasping his hand with a contemplative expression. She appeared to also continue mulling over exactly what she wanted to say to the boy, likely thinking of the most concise way to word her thoughts. Even a few words would've been appreciated. Steven was given that much, though not without a prior hum of dissatisfaction from Amethyst, as though _any_ words weren't wanting to be said.

"Yeah," she muttered, shaking her head with a roll of her eyes. Though Steven assumed she was trying to appear dismissive, Amethyst looked more embarrassed than anything else, the subtle blush graduating to a more full one. It was a little difficult to tell if it was due to the problem she was thinking of or the odd secret Garnet had kept to herself. Prodding further wasn't something Steven really wanted to do, understanding that Amethyst would give him enough information when she was ready. Based on Amethyst's first grumblings, Steven could assume it was the latter option anyways, but he didn't want to be too presumptuous. Amethyst thankfully continued before Steven was given the awkward task of continuing the conversation for her.

"Garnet knows, is this thing." Steven, understanding what she meant near instantly, stumbled a bit. Amethyst paid no mind and threw up her arm in some irked manner. She likely would've done the same with her other arm if it wasn't still used to grasp Steven's hand. It did little to alleviate his confusion either way, causing the boy to look at his friend with a newly inquisitive expression. Not that he was harmed by the fact someone else knew of Amethyst's problem, but the fact that he still _didn't_ felt purely like some kind of spiteful irony. Surely the one who wanted to help her the most should be given the most _to_ help, right?

"Hold on," Steven said, sounding a little incredulous despite the obvious credibility of Amethyst's statement. His steps slowed a bit, though he didn't stop completely. There was a reason for his disbelief persisting. "Garnet knows about the problem?"

Amethyst nodded, still appearing a little uncomfortable saying as much as she did. Confirming that seemed to be _another_ problem for Amethyst, though not for the reasons Steven first assumed. "Even said she'd tell when it's 'relevant,'" his friend added with a tad of sarcasm. Less disdainful, more annoyed. Given how recent Amethyst's problem must've arose, Steven could see why she used the tone that she did. He likely would've done the same if he was in her shoes, considering how the problem really couldn't get much more relevant than now. A thought occurred to Steven, keeping his eyes on Amethyst instead of one of the approaching statues of his mother.

"When did you tell her?" he asked with a frown, curious. As far as Steven knew, he was with Amethyst since they begun the mission that brought them to where they were, so there couldn't have been any recent moment where Amethyst revealed her issue to the fusion. Evidently, Amethyst could understand this too, looking at Steven with a fair amount of perplexity.

"Uh," she started slowly, "I _didn't_. I was just as confused as you were, 'member?"

Steven blinked. Then, recalling that Amethyst had asked the fusion herself just what she was thinking of, _twice,_ he slapped his forehead, creating a resounding _*smack*_ that could've been interpreted as another footstep on the stone. "Oh, right. Duh." Steven coughed, hoping that would accelerate the awkwardness's leave. It didn't, nor did the amused expression on Amethyst's face. At least he managed to get her to smile for a moment, albeit inadvertently. He allowed himself a few of his own chuckles before continuing on the topic of Amethyst's problem, hoping that wouldn't do too much to damper the mood.

"So, she figured it out on her own, then?" he questioned, somewhat seriously. Amethyst, thankfully, didn't seem too surprised at Steven's inquiry. She nodded again, outwardly looking at the statue of Rose Quartz that stood before them. Her focus didn't seem to be directed towards the stone, though it looked like she attempted to place it there. Steven was thankful for the two of them being alone, thinking that likely contributed to how Amethyst quickly gave up her effort, before hearing her speak up.

"Yeah, I doubt Pearl did." After her remark, Amethyst abruptly fell silent, though still falsely inspected the statue. What made her quiet less worrying than the more recent cases was the deceptively calm expression on her face. It wasn't quite the one usually used when forcing politeness, more closely resembling the one used when pretending to understand something completely while, in actuality, being at a total loss. Essentially, the expression Amethyst usually had when Steven attempted to show her one of his many cartoons. For a moment, the Gem hummed a slightly contemplative hum, adding to the image.

"And Garnet told _her_ _!?_ " Amethyst suddenly exclaimed, the false expression disintegrating with her shout. Startled by Amethyst's outburst, Steven rose an inquisitive hand while she threw her's against her forehead, groaning. "I don't need _two_ stupid lectures!"

Steven's natural curiosity that would've been applied towards the sudden yell was essentially irrelevant, given he was already more than a little curious about the reason for her doing so. Regardless, Steven gave his friend a concerned grimace. Part of him was tempted to put the pieces together himself; it was more than likely that he could figure out the source of Amethyst's trouble on his own with all that's been said and done (or, more accurately, what _Amethyst_ had said and done) especially given her most recent outburst. Surely he could gather an idea of Amethyst's problem. There wasn't too much that denoted Amethyst receiving a lecture from the others, anyways.

Well... it narrowed the margin for how severe the problem was, at least.

Still, that almost didn't feel right, somehow. Steven didn't understand it himself; considering Amethyst's obvious apprehension about talking of the subject, the act of _thinking_ was nearly rendered rude. As though he would be intruding on her mind. Admittedly, that in itself didn't feel right, considering how badly Steven wanted to help his friend, though her proximity helped with simplifying the odd paradox. Looking at Amethyst's half-embarrassed and half-troubled expression, Steven settled on the explanation that he ought to know of her problem when she was comfortable with telling him. At the very least, when she was ready to tell him; not necessarily the same time. That didn't stop Steven from inquiring anyways.

"Amethyst," he started, trying a quieter tone. He wasn't sure how to go about convincing Amethyst of his trust, having nearly exhausted all methods that came to mind, so hopefully the concept of persistence could convey the idea. Amethyst looked at him reluctantly, likely knowing what he was going to ask far before even hearing her name. He asked anyways out of common courtesy. "Do you _want_ to tell me? What's bothering you?"

For a brief moment, Amethyst seemed to hesitate. She half-consciously kicked the ground on some anxious instinct; it was yet another thing they _both_ tended to do when put on the spot in some guilty situation. Steven still didn't have any idea how she could be considered guilty for having something bother her. Quietly, his friend spoke up, looking at the ground in, well, a guilty manner.

"You already know the answer," she responded, atypically quiet. Steven would be lying if he said he wasn't further worried by Amethyst's voice being as small as it was. Her tone aside, Steven gave Amethyst the most patient smile he could muster, shrugging away any implied troubles as best as he could.

"Right, right, sorry," he waved off, hoping to hide his disappointment. Thankfully, Amethyst didn't appear to catch on to that, humming again in that dissatisfied way. The noise didn't feel like it was directed at him, though he was too busy re-drawing the line of what exactly was "too personal" to ask for about the third time to pay much attention. Then, seeing as how far that line was from achieving his goal, Steven erased it entirely and decided to act on instinct more than anything else. Silently, he led Amethyst towards the short stone wall of the fountain before pausing, placing a hand on it. Amethyst seemed surprised by the return of his initiative, as well as the sudden silence of his actions.

Still a little uncertain, Steven rubbed the stone, hoping that he could say the right things _again_. "Just..." he started slowly, glancing up at the statue of his mother. It stood solemnly, not giving him much in the way of guidance. Then again, his question was one he wanted to word himself. Taking a deep breath, Steven stepped onto the stone barrier, placing his other hand on Amethyst's to help her up. Not that she really _needed_ the help, though Steven hoped she could still appreciate it. He was a little glad to see her features leaning more towards curious than apprehensive, despite her likely being able to know of his next question long beforehand. "Promise to tell me? When you're ready?"

As far as questions go, Steven found his coming out much more sincere than he would've expected. That, combined with how inherently sincere his request was already, was likely one of the only ways Steven could've managed to surprise Amethyst for the third time in succession. She looked at him in some kind of bewilderment, seemingly taken off guard by his question. Not exactly _what_ he asked, since that was a little easy to spot, but more along the lines of how he asked what he did. Steven hoped her expression was due to a kind of revelation where she realizes something that's been obvious the whole time, that being that she really _couldn't_ stop being Steven's friend, even if she tried.

For a few moments, Amethyst stood staring at Steven. A slight breeze could be heard above. The tears trickled quietly into the pool, dropping from the larger statue of Rose Quartz that stood in the fountain's center. Amethyst's eyes finally left Steven's, darting to the side to avoid his. Steven wasn't aware how, but he felt that it was more to break her own eye contact rather than his.

"Steven..." she said quietly, the clutch between them tightening for a moment. Steven reciprocated it instinctively, giving Amethyst more attention than she just received. That was a hefty amount, though Amethyst didn't appear to feel guilty this time. Moreover, she appeared equally contemplative and reluctant. After another lengthy hesitation that likely lasted longer in his mind than it did in reality, Steven saw the slightest indication of a nod. Small, almost imperceptible, but there. An answer existing in the first place was reason enough to be happy. He promptly accepted it; despite not being instant, being given the opportunity to help his friend (hopefully soon) was more than relieving. Downright comforting, if you ask him.

In retrospect, that was likely why he found himself wrapped around Amethyst once more. One moment, he was grinning at Amethyst despite the unnecessary reluctance adorning her features, and the next, he was in another embrace. Honestly, he couldn't even recall moving his arms, especially since they just _were_ hugging. He supposed he was a little greedy when he came to hugs. Amethyst, though probably a little surprised by the recurring envelopment, didn't feel to be too put off by its frequency. That was a little comforting, too. There was something about his friend he found a little... hug-able, as odd as that sounded. If he didn't have to explain the phenomenon to anyone, he would go along enjoying it. Admittedly, Amethyst was a tad hesitant to return his embrace, though eventually did. Steven could practically feel the small smile on her lips.

"You're one persistent little guy," she stated matter-of-factly, "You know that?" Steven nodded, chuckling a little himself. Her quiet voice was more soft than small, subsequently causing the reason for that trait to persist.

"I get it from you," Steven joked back, already feeling that he was doing some good for Amethyst's mystery issue without explicitly knowing why. Like the first embrace following some friendly catharsis, Steven was aware of his hug lasting a tad longer than normal and didn't really care. Amethyst didn't seem to, either. Both Gems stood on the narrow stone, grinning (as Amethyst would put it) like a pair of dummies, still just appreciating their status as _better-than-best friends._ Maybe it was the prospect of what came next that prolonged their hug.

Unfortunately, Amethyst seemed to read the sudden thought that occurred to Steven, bringing him forward. The fact that the motion could be thought of as _gentle_ was likely why Steven didn't complain too much about it, though he still thought that her hug was better. Marginally. Now appearing curious, Amethyst looked at him, trying to get a bit of a bead on what he was thinking. If Steven wasn't still contemplating how tenacious the blood in Amethyst's cheeks was, he would've bothered to hide his thoughts.

"Somethin' wrong?" his friend asked, still inspecting Steven's face. Not traditionally what someone asked after a hug, Steven assumed her question to be a bit out of place; then, recalling how they had an actual purpose to be where they were, he realized the same thing that might've been the cause of their embrace ending. Steven's face fell a little, inadvertently bringing his own continuous grasp on Amethyst's hand into the center of his vision. He blamed that on why he hesitated, though it might've not been as illogical as he first thought.

Looking back up, Steven pulled his features into a slight grimace, not really wanting to state the source of his trouble, minor as it might've been (minor as it _was,_ really). Amethyst, though obviously being able to see that well enough on her own, didn't drop the subject, still looking inquisitively at Steven. Even if she did drop the subject, Steven would've had to bring it up himself anyways.

 _"Doesn't that seem familiar,"_ he thought to himself, finding the current situation as an odd déjà vu between the unexpected embrace and following worry.

Deciding to bring it up himself anyways (as that would likely make it easier to explain), Steven sighed, looking back at the calm tears resting in the fountain. They sparkled in a manner that usually contradicted any troubled doubts. "When I healed you," he forced the words out of his mouth, "Did it hurt?"

Based on his peripheral vision, Amethyst wasn't expecting a question as an answer to her own. Not one as off-topic as his, he supposed. She tilted her head, recalling the events of her pseudo-restoration as best as she could. Apparently, she could recall the events rather well, as she drew out a lengthy hum of discontent. Whether that was from the brief moments of pain she experienced or having to answer Steven's question honestly, he couldn't tell. Maybe both. Amethyst mulled over her words for a moment, then answered in that recently discovered forthright tone.

"Yeah, kinda did," she drew out with a small nod, "No idea why." Steven mimicked her nod, expecting a "yes" anyways. That didn't get rid of the worry accurately portrayed on his face. Seeing this, Amethyst attached a swift (but still honest) addition to her answer. "Ain't your fault, if that's what you're worried about."

Steven's grip tightened for a moment, remembering the forceful and panicked way Amethyst had struck his hand away from before. In reality, that _was_ one of the things he was worried about, though he wished he could take Amethyst's reassurance for certain. That wasn't what he wanted to focus on for now (not that he really wanted to focus on any harm that came to Amethyst, past or potential), so Steven forced himself to move on, still looking at the small sparkles of the stars reflecting off the surface of the fountain's tears. "So, if that hurt _and_ didn't heal it..."

Steven thought he would've been able to get more than eight words out, but came to the conclusion that he didn't need to say more. Not that he could have, apparently. Amethyst looked at him in a way that thankfully didn't appear sarcastic or mocking. Instead, she still appeared curious, not yet understanding what Steven was getting at. Better if she was confused than bothered by the issue they previously discussed. Not too long after noting the subtle revitalization in her eyes gained since their most recent hug, Steven saw the idea click in her head.

"Ah," she realized with a snap, suddenly gaining a bit more of her usual tone. "Worried I might explode?"

Steven didn't _miss_ the softer voice Amethyst used, instead being glad that it belonged to the same person as her usual self. Really nice fact, actually. Amethyst's constant look brought Steven back to reality, and he nodded with an embarrassed blush. "You could say that," he admitted with some off-hand appreciation for Amethyst's jovial way of describing things. It wasn't that he thought his friend would _explode,_ per se, but rather that something with a lot more intensity than Steven's spit might also cause a lot more pain. As weird as the reaction between his healing substance and the toxin/acid/whatever-he-wanted-to-call-it from the Gem was, it was still _there._ Steven assumed that the reaction between the two substances had acted as some kind of cancellation of both effects, though the cancellation was evidently a bit of a painful process.

Amethyst seemed to be thinking something along those lines, figuring out the source of Steven's paranoia without vocally asking him. He likely would've done a better job being able to tell if she understood the situation as well as he did if he bothered to look directly at her. Instead, he attempted a nervous chuckle to rid himself of the one-sided awkwardness. That wasn't really accomplished. Clearing his throat (and still not trying to discern the odd look from Amethyst), Steven dismissed his worry.

"I know, I know, kind of silly," he stated, rubbing the back of his neck. Far be it from him to be scientific with magical Gem stuff. Steven sighed, then would've gone on to explain that Amethyst didn't really need to worry about his concern before she interrupted him.

"Nah," she waved away, sounding pleasantly casual. Now she didn't seem troubled by the mystery problem prior _or_ Steven's theoretically justified paranoia, smirking in a way more befitting of Amethyst's usual character. Also a nice fact. "Don't think it's silly or anything. Kinda flattering, really."

 _Flattering_ definitely wasn't one of the words Steven would've described his concern as. A lot of words could've been used to describe it, but flattering wasn't really on the list. Surprised by how Amethyst interpreted his worry, Steven felt a few laughs escape his mouth, far more authentic than the forced chuckling beforehand. The earlier talk both of them shared at the mission's beginning was appreciated once more, if only for giving the both of them that mutual understanding he couldn't ever take for granted. Without any further words, Amethyst appeared to agree to that, still smiling in an empathetic way that Steven could still gladly attribute to her. The grin (as well as about everything else about her) made Steven's next request a bit easier to say.

"So," he started carefully, assuming that her understanding was more permanent than fleeting. His voice still came out too sheepish for his tastes, anyways. Better than not beginning at all. Steven spoke a little more with his body than his mouth, slightly crouching downwards and moving his arm a little to the side. His actions, though subtle, appeared to be noticed by Amethyst without conveying exactly what he intended. She rose an eyebrow, unsure as to what he was getting at. Not that he blamed her for not understanding; it would've been difficult to understand even if he said it out loud. Steven compromised, speaking further while still leaning downwards a tad. "Would you mind if I, uh..."

Despite trailing off again, Amethyst appeared to understand what he was asking a whole lot sooner than most people would likely anticipate. Steven assumed that it was the hopeful expression on his face (not that he intended to look hopeful; that was more a subconscious byproduct than any persuasive effort). Amethyst looked at him with a sarcastic expression, snorting as though Steven just told her a joke just bordering on being slightly vulgar. He didn't have to look at her features to know her expression was good-natured, finding it similar to the reaction he received when he first asked to carry her within the cave from earlier. However, he _did_ have to hear her voice to be certain of her answer.

"Sure, don't see why not," his friend shrugged; even her voice regained some of the earlier sheepishness, albeit with a little less obviousness. Not to say it wasn't obvious anyways. Steven took a moment to acknowledge her tone, hoped that Amethyst didn't mind his request (she didn't appear to), and opened his mouth to speak. Before any words could exit his mouth, however, a sudden weight was felt on his shoulder. Thankfully, since he was already bent a little downwards, Steven was a little more braced to take the weight, though he was still surprised. Amethyst's following jump upwards didn't help, forcing Steven to act on instinct. This allowed him to avoid dropping Amethyst as she used the hand on his shoulder as a pivot to swing her legs upwards. Steven caught her in the nick of time, barely slipping from the stone they stood on and regaining his balance shortly after.

Somehow, Amethyst appeared completely unperturbed, now glancing at Steven with a fair smile. The curve of her lips told Steven something along the lines of _"All according to plan!"_ with more confidence than Steven would've usually attributed. Holding Amethyst again likely diluted any panicked thoughts gained from her drastic actions, so Steven was quicker than most to return the smile. The quickness of her movements had probably helped, too, as did the fact that she moved in the first place. Other than how Amethyst was voluntarily caught by Steven rather than due to circumstance, it was about the same as the first time he carried her.

"Let's heal me up, hero!" Amethyst spoke in Steven's place, still holding that oddly charismatic smile on her features. Seeing it a second time confirmed that Steven couldn't blame the surroundings on intensifying her grin's magnitude, which was added to the growing list of things Steven was glad to be realizing. The list's size alone was staggeringly impressive, though he decided to take a closer look at it later. He'd likely do so unconsciously, anyways.

Smiling at both his given title and the one who so graciously gave it to him, Steven heard himself let out a few small chuckles. As he turned towards the tears of the fountain, he made a subconscious note of how his laughter towards Amethyst was part of the reason his forehead was a little closer to her's. Judging by Amethyst's own pleasant chuckling (as well as the small blush on her face intensifying for just a moment) Amethyst recognized the shorter distance between them. Neither voiced any complaints.

Steven lowered himself slowly, taking great care to maintain his hold on Amethyst. For some reason he couldn't quite discern, she continued chuckling to herself while his laughter faded. Seeing as how laughter wasn't really something he tended to worry about, Steven didn't question it, and sat on the stone border of the fountain. The tears gently lapped at his toes, carrying a unique warmness that wasn't too uncomfortable despite the chill air. Just another magical occurrence, Steven assumed. Looking at the tinted pink of the tears, Steven turned back towards Amethyst, and saw that she was still quietly laughing to herself. About what was anyone's guess; he enjoyed her statement of being a _hero,_ no doubt, but not to such a degree. While he couldn't exactly tell what Amethyst was laughing about, he could at least tell it wasn't at her own words. Steven spoke up, still not uncomfortable or put off by Amethyst's chuckling, but still curious. "What's so funny?"

Maybe what she was thinking of wasn't precisely "funny", as Amethyst seemed too surprised by his question for that to be a reasonable inquiry. Abruptly, she quieted, snapping her gaze to him with an almost startled expression. Then, after a few strangely silent moments, she gave one last chuckle before waving off any notion of humor.

"Ah, nothin'," she said in a manner that almost always meant there was _something._ It was fairly easy to tell how she'd used the conspicuous tone on purpose, though Steven didn't think it was important enough to warrant further questioning. Besides, she was _laughing,_ which did little to argue some troubled thought. About the opposite. Steven was satisfied by the logic of Amethyst likely thinking of something pleasant before he nodded to her, asking an obligatory "Ready?"

Now quiet, Amethyst nodded, though her eyes were still focused solely on him. Again, he wasn't about to question it. Steven hummed recognition, then began counting down in that gruff tone he was hilariously bad at. It had seemed fitting.

"Three," he began, staring at the tears with determination. Out of the corner of his eye, he could still see Amethyst looking at him in some unrecognizable manner. "Closely" was as close as he could get, but that was still kind of a broad term. Regardless, Steven continued. "Two..."

Uncertainly trailing off, Steven glanced at Amethyst, though didn't make any effort to stare back. That was probably rude, no matter how much she stared at him (even if it was _that_ much; what was she thinking right now?). She now seemed to be making some difficult decision, but otherwise kept her gaze on Steven. He assumed that she'd speak up before falling into the fountain if there was something that she wanted to discuss, though giving her some time to do so resulted in more silence. Steven took a deep breath of air, thinking that Amethyst heard his countdown either way. "One-"

Just then, Steven's single word was interrupted rather forcefully. Not exactly in a forceful _manner,_ but speaking was a little difficult with someone's lips pressed into his own. Steven's eyes broadened as he looked at (or rather _felt_ ) Amethyst's contact, the Gem giving him a rather unexpected kiss. No matter how many seconds exactly passed, Steven was given plenty of time to recognize the action; as to what to do in response to the action _,_ that was a different ballpark entirely. The most he was granted was a sudden rush of blood pouring into his face. All Steven could _voluntarily_ accomplish was a wide-eyed stare at his friend while her lips lingered on his, the young Gem's muscles nearly petrified. It'd be later learned that it was more what the kiss incited rather than the physicality that had frozen Steven so well, but right now, all Steven could really feel was the soft hair between his arms and Amethyst's back, and her equally soft lips.

After some seconds (or maybe minutes, or even years), Amethyst gently pulled away from Steven's face with some inexplicably content expression. Steven likely could've identified further if his brain functioned properly. Obviously, it didn't, meaning Steven could only manage to swivel his eyes towards his friend in complete silence. Amethyst didn't fill it with any kind of explanation, still having a distant and, dare he say, almost _dreamy_ look on her face. He wasn't sure if he could really tell what his expression was right now. There was definitely some degree of surprise, but that being inherent when he just received a blatantly affectionate kiss from his friend, Steven wasn't satisfied. Unlike Amethyst, he noted. He continued staring at her, uncertain on both what he was supposed to be feeling and how he was supposed to react. Neither was obvious.

Eventually, Amethyst caught his gaze, and appeared startled by being pulled back into reality. Now her expression more closely resembled his, albeit with a lot more of a blush. Or maybe about the same amount; Steven didn't trust his brain enough to compare the two accurately. Regardless of who had more blood in their cheeks, Steven didn't offer any kind of question on Amethyst's actions, hoping she was ready to willingly give her reasoning _before_ going through with kissing him. That didn't appear to be the case, if the way her surprise stayed on her face was anything to go by. After another period of staring comparable to the time spent after Steven first kissed Amethyst's cheek, he risked a few words without really knowing what they would be. "That was..." he began slowly, eyes still fixated on Amethyst. "...really n-"

Steven wasn't exactly interrupted again, though his words stopped in a similar manner from before when he felt a rather strong shove on his shoulder. Since he was sitting down, Steven wasn't pushed too far back from Amethyst's hand; however, feeling her slip from his grasp let him realize that wasn't Amethyst's intention. All Steven could recognize was the sizable width of Amethyst's eyes as she fell from his arms and into the fountain, creating a _*splash!*_ that forced him to instinctively shield his eyes. Surprised for the second time now, Steven lowered his hand instantly, seeing the blurry silhouette of his friend descend into the tears' depths.

Maybe it was his optimism that put a smile on his face despite losing Amethyst's contact, finding that she was being her usual, mischievous self. Or perhaps it was the lingering effect her lips had on him, which was gradually being understood in the broad term of "really, really nice" without any precise definition. Heck, maybe it was the simple fact that Amethyst was likely feeling a whole lot better than beforehand based on, as Steven was more than glad to put it, the _affection_ she just gave. Steven wasn't going to question the rush of euphoria his friend had incited any which way; all he concerned himself with was joining her. Acting almost entirely on instinct, Steven hopped from the stone with a happy laugh, being enveloped in the warm tears of the fountain.

Speaking from experience, Steven assumed that it'd be better to shut his eyes rather than have them come into direct contact with any watery substance. After a few moments of "testing the waters", so to speak, he couldn't find the usual sting that usually came with water. Then again, he wasn't submerged in strictly water. Regardless, Steven was thankful for being given a blurry sight rather than none at all, and quickly searched for his friend. After a few head turns, Steven frowned, then did another few turns for good measure. Sure, it was a little dark with the moon being out rather than the sun, but surely Steven could've identified _some_ kind of silver hair against the darker gray of the fountain's threshold.

On the off-chance that the tears might've had some foggy effect similar to the caves, Steven swam about, still holding his breath tight. He didn't think Amethyst could've gone too far from where she had (voluntarily) fallen. Could she? Now frowning, Steven reached the tear's edge, feeling the hard surface of stone. Looking downwards showed no signs of his friend resting at the very bottom of the fountain, though Steven swam a bit more to make sure, seeing as how it was the darkest part. Subsequently, that would've made any bright material such as her silver hair that much more noticeable; a fact he realized when no friend was to be found. Steven's frown increased, an uncomfortable sense of doubt creeping up on his features.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him; a drastic, terrifying thought. Steven's eyes broadened considerably as he let out a gasp of recognition. However, it wasn't really air that he inhaled back in. Steven's hand instinctively reached to his neck as he saw the last bubbles of air he gave float to the surface of the fountain. If wasn't so abruptly distraught, he would've chastised himself, though felt his reaction had been somewhat justified. Steven used the last trickle of energy still left in his lungs to propel himself as fast as he could towards the surface above.

 _"She poofed,"_ was the only thought running through his mind at the moment. Not the straining of his lungs, or the distance between himself and vital air, but the fate of his friend. _"The tears poofed her."_

Maybe he wasn't so paranoid after all.

After what seemed like ages, Steven broke the surface of the tears, instantly snapping his mouth open and inhaling as much as air as he could in the span of two seconds. He took about one more second to shut his mouth and prepare to dive back down before a distant _*splash*_ somewhere to his left drew his attention. Still holding his breath, he swiftly whipped his neck around, still under the assumption that there was a small Gemstone known as his _better-than-best friend_ resting at the very bottom of the fountain. So he thought it was justifiable that he didn't release his breath when he found that very person holding herself up on the edge of the fountain's stone border, coughing and hacking in a manner he was too rushed to recognize as similar to his own.

Steven kept his wide-eyed gaze on Amethyst, his brain attempting several times to disregard his earlier assumption. It took about four or so tries to actually be successful. Restarting again a fifth time just to be sure, Steven uncertainly paddled his way towards Amethyst, seeing her beat her chest with an irked expression.

"Man," he heard her say though the last coughs and hacks, "Good as this stuff is, still ain't breathable." Steven, half-consciously agreeing, found himself staring at Amethyst. The Gem took another shaky breath of air, noticed Steven's proximity, and promptly began another coughing fit in surprise. Steven was a little confused, seeing as how logical it was for him to follow after Amethyst, though the sudden quiet after Amethyst's surprised coughs made him understand it was more of a realization than surprise. A realization that she couldn't avoid explaining herself indefinitely, most likely. Steven didn't pay that much mind, his eyes moving from Amethyst's purposefully distracted expression towards the Gem in her chest. He didn't pay much mind to the subtle blush filling her cheeks again either, staring at the stone.

Many things could've contradicted the sight before him, but in spite of all the paranoia and discouraging effects from before, Amethyst's Gem shone prominently, some stars gleaming off the smooth surface. Not any kind of damage was seen on the purple stone, similar to how restored Amethyst's face now was. Steven shifted his eyes from the Gem to its owner's eyes, though had some difficulty acquiring them. She kept staring to the side, evidently not wanting to meet Steven's face. While he couldn't imagine why she avoided his gaze beyond not wanting to explain the kiss, Steven didn't ask that, nor did he ask why she had swum so far from where she first dropped into the fountain. Instead, Steven swam a bit closer, reducing the distance between them to a couple of feet.

Finally, Amethyst turned back towards Steven with a sigh, though was still cautious to avoid direct eye contact. She motioned towards her own Gem almost imperceptibly, shrugging in a way that tended to fit deciding on what to wear rather than confirming she wasn't going to explode any time soon. That was a welcome comfort to Steven. The boy regained the smile that had first risen before jumping into the tears, and proceeded to throw himself around Amethyst with a content laugh. It was the kind of laugh that didn't have any kind of definite origin or reason to be; just a plain, happy laugh. Amethyst lost a little of her anxiety at this.

Her grip was almost lost too, though Steven refused to acknowledge that first. Amethyst didn't either, reciprocating the contact _before_ strengthening her remaining arm around the stone. Both of which were a tad tight, Steven noted. "Easy there," she spoke, chuckling briefly, "It'd be kinda hard to hug underwater, y'know."

To this, Steven only laughed again. He likely would've managed a submerged embrace regardless of how difficult it was. Plus, he liked to think that he was good enough at hugging that it wouldn't have been too hard anyways, and that was without Amethyst's incentive.

Steven took a moment to think of what exactly that incentive was; not to any precise degree, but more to a broad term he could gratify instantly, since he was a tad focused on _now_ to award more than a minute of thought towards contemplation. This might've been why Steven moved back to face Amethyst almost instinctively before planting a small kiss on her cheek.

He went ahead and added "kissable" to the list of things he was glad to describe Amethyst as, too. Strangely enough, not having anything to excuse the action made it easier rather than harder, probably because the lack of a reason to fall back on helped simplify it. Amethyst had stiffened upon doing his so, but Steven returned his head back to her shoulder before getting worried about what expression she wore now. Hopefully it was a happy one; to make sure his hope was rational, Steven spoke up, still acting on instinct.

"Love you, Amethyst."

The Gem in question stiffened a tad further, but Steven couldn't imagine she was uncomfortable any more than she had been just a moment ago. He certainly wasn't uncomfortable. Steven let out a breath of relief, some of his happiness calming into a more serene type of placid tranquility. With the last thing that could bother him being inevitably rectified, there was a reason for the surge of joy transforming into... ardor, he might even call it. Ardor directed at his friend, for whatever reason. For _many_ reasons, actually, though they were along similar lines. Just a genial kind of friendship that was as much unique as it was appreciated.

Some moments passed as Amethyst likely digested Steven's words. True to his earlier assumption, Steven could now properly enjoy the softness of Amethyst's hair as she shook her head once more. From beside him, the Gem seemed to mutter some questions on why Steven was acting like he was. As though he hadn't much of a reason to. Amethyst thankfully seemed to understand that he _did_ have his reasons, sighing in an understanding way that came with their relationship, however Steven wanted to describe it. "I... love you too, Steven," she admitted, somewhat shakily. Ironically, as shaky as Amethyst's voice was, Steven could also detect the authenticity of her statement rather easily. He promptly increased his grasp just a tad, hoping the strain on Amethyst's one arm wasn't too bad. Even if it was, he hoped that Amethyst thought it was worth it as much as he did.

Evidently, she did, tightening her grasp just a little further. It was Amethyst's next action that Steven didn't entirely understand right away. With another sigh, Amethyst rested her head on Steven's shoulder, shaking her head once more. Piqued, Steven turned slightly towards his friend, though all he could see was the shine of her white hair. "I love _you,"_ she repeated, noticeably quieter. The odd enunciation on the end of her statement wasn't strictly out of place, feeling more like she had corrected herself. Seeing as how both of her statements were identical, Steven was a little confused. Being himself, Steven settled on her putting more confidence into her words, despite their difference in volume. Small words weren't always weak ones, anyways.

* * *

 **A/N:** Gotta love it when one half of your OTP is denser than a rock (heh, rock, get it? 'Cause, y'know, Gems, space rocks... sorry). Anyhow, I don't have much to say, other than you're past the 50,000 word mark! Good on you for reading so much! Reading is good for the soul. But really, thanks a ton for reading this story; it means a lot to me. I'll see you in the next chapter! Until then, keep that chin up!


	8. Analysis

**A/N:** Looking back, I'm noticing that the original author's notes were mostly apologies on taking so long to update this story. They were genuine, but it's only now occurring to me that their frequency might've devalued their worth. Ah well, live and learn. The beginning of this chapter had three different drafts, so speaking honestly, I don't really know if the quality will hold up to other chapters. Hopefully it does. Read on! Hope you have a good day! :D

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _VIII: Analysis_

"Lucky" was probably the best word to describe how Amethyst was feeling.

Sitting there, simply holding onto her "better than best" friend in the fountain's tears, Amethyst found a variety of words could describe how she was feeling. "Relieved" at Steven's simplistic nature, "happy" for Steven's proximity, "anxious" for about both reasons. Having a one-track mind let Amethyst focus on one feeling only, though, and the winner had decidedly been "lucky". Amethyst wished she could say that her self-description was some sincere or appreciative one in a more earnest light, but really, being "lucky" in this context felt more like being in the right place at the right time.

Obviously, she considered herself lucky enough to know Steven, but she was more concerned with how fortunate she was for her friend to be as unquestioning as he was. Even without an explanation for Amethyst's actions being given, Steven followed after her into the fountain's tears, either too caught up in her Gem's restoration or not caring enough to ask why she did what she did. Amethyst wasn't about to complain about his lack of interest. Still, the Gem would be lying if she said that their most recent embrace was any shorter than the other ones, which was felt with a freshly renewed kind of guilt. Nothing too serious, but still a paranoid feeling that she shouldn't have enjoyed Steven's simplistic contact as much as she did.

Quietly, Amethyst cleared her throat, trying to cut that enjoyment short as politely as she could. The noise felt uncomfortably loud in the silence of the fountain, though Steven didn't make any noticeable reaction. His grasp continued a little longer until Amethyst remembered she was resting her head on his shoulder. Straightening her back, Amethyst risked a glance at Steven, though couldn't find any real indication of his thoughts. Actions tended to speak for themselves in his case, though.

When he _did_ let go, Steven gave Amethyst a pleasant grin that she felt obligated to reciprocate. Even she could feel the lack of comfort in her smile, but at least Steven was happy enough to accept it regardless. If she wasn't so occupied with being paranoid, Amethyst might've pondered Steven's last hesitation before he let go, grasping the stone wall of the fountain's edge and hopping out in one quick manner. In a similarly quick manner, he turned around and rose a hand to help Amethyst like he always did, probably still aware of how Amethyst didn't really need any sort of help.

Amethyst shook her head, trying to focus on Steven's hand rather than his face. Neither made her any less aware of his chivalrous nature. Hesitantly taking his offer, Amethyst lifted herself up onto the fountain's stone border. She hesitated again before stepping onto the stone beside Steven, not giving any thought to the uncomfortable sloshing in her boots. Her attire was a little low on her priority list at the moment, for reasons she found justified.

"Glad to see you're okay," Steven told her simply. Simply, but also authentically. Amethyst might've imagined his bow, but the slight increase in his grin didn't leave many doubts. Unconsciously, Amethyst laughed a little, but still made an effort to be quiet for the time being. She had a bit too much to think about at the moment. The most she offered in return was a nod, muttering "Me too."

Oddly enough, Steven didn't say anything about their more... _intimate_ moment prior to jumping into the fountain in the first place. It might've been only a handful of minutes since that moment, but still, Amethyst would assume that it was a bit of an important thing to ask about immediately. Even more so considering Steven's typically curious nature. Amethyst kept her eyes on her friend, trying best to decipher his expression while neutralizing her own. The boy still wore his signature smile, grinning as he always seemed to in Amethyst's presence. It was one of the many things she's grown to notice about him.

The grin on Steven's face lingered in Amethyst's direction before he turned forward, and Amethyst didn't have to look to know that his smile persisted. That persistence told Amethyst that he didn't pay much mind to her features, which was also a reason to consider herself lucky. It made it that much easier to think. Amethyst slowly followed after the boy, allowing herself to be led back to the other Gems.

Steven still didn't say much beyond his relief, which comforted Amethyst as much as it stressed her. On the one hand, he wasn't asking any questions about Amethyst's actions, meaning she didn't have to give any answers. That was the last thing she wanted to do right now. If he _had_ asked, and Amethyst also happened to live in a universe where she'd speak openly about the matter, she'd state that her unexpected (and probably uncalled for) kiss was a poor attempt at a compromise. Something of a subconscious attempt to be open with Steven while still not saying anything. He deserved to know _something,_ considering he was always so eager to help her with about anything. Amethyst's own enjoyment was purely a byproduct.

And while she was at it, Amethyst might as well have lied about being smarter than Pearl.

Amethyst's kiss might've gone over well with Steven _,_ but it didn't for her, hence the other hand. On that other hand, Steven wasn't saying _anything._ The most he did was smile contently as he led Amethyst towards the stone stairs of his mother's fountain. Not even an offhand comment about what he was going to say before Amethyst executed her escape plan from his arms was offered. Amethyst would much rather know that her dread about having to explain herself was real rather than speculate. Being given only the faint _*squishes*_ of both Gems' footwear to distract herself, Amethyst felt her eyes fall downwards without bothering to really look at the ground. She had plenty to distract herself with as-is.

Amethyst wished she could say for certain that Steven understood her, but his silence didn't make her too sure. _She_ definitely wasn't going to break that silence, though. The potential for questioning was far too great, and when the answers were ones she didn't want to acknowledge, talking wasn't a risk Amethyst felt like taking. Being as carefree and innocent as he usually was, Steven didn't give any good indication if he had learned of what Amethyst's actions meant in total. She couldn't have imagined any normal person being unable to figure out her intentions, but like she'd said (and been proven to) before, Steven wasn't a normal person. Ultimately, Amethyst had to assume that Steven _didn't_ understand her thoughts in kissing him, given his usual demeanor persisting.

Subsequently, Amethyst had to ponder how he kept his neck upright with a skull that dense.

Not that Amethyst had meant that in any mean or derogatory sense, but Steven's innocent interpretation of her actions was difficult to stomach. Heck, she'd straight-up _told_ him that she loved him, _twice,_ and yet he'd seemed to take it in stride. Obviously, Amethyst had told him as much before, but the meaning behind her message was so vastly different now that there had to be _some_ discernible change. Amethyst had gone as far as to repeat her message _with enunciation on that change_ , and Steven still didn't give it a second thought. Seeing as how Steven should've figured her out at least twenty minutes ago, Amethyst was hesitant to find out when he _would_ (if at all).

Maybe he _had._ Scary as a thought as that was, Amethyst did have to entertain the idea that her friend was _somewhat_ sensible. Steven, with all his innocence and niceties, had been smart when he needed to be, and Amethyst had known him long enough to understand that he felt now was a good time to be smart. His care wasn't lost on her, now more than ever, and Amethyst thought that he was one of the smartest people she knew when it comes to feelings. Not even Pearl could beat him in that department.

However, that would mean that Steven was continuing his niceties despite knowing how Amethyst had recently begun to feel about him. That was a reality that, as much as she wanted to, Amethyst couldn't really accept, for multiple reasons. If Steven _did_ know of her exact feelings, then he surely would've said _something_ about the matter. There was no way that he'd simply continue being so genial with Amethyst. Even saints had their limits, and that was only taking the initial awkwardness of that conversation into account. Who knew how he'd feel about Amethyst's own explanations.

Shaking her head, Amethyst had to decide that Steven still didn't know of her intentions in kissing him earlier. That was a weird fact, considering the majority of Earth _would_ know, but Steven being outside of that majority was less weird than that. Besides, talking of the situation normally wasn't something Amethyst thought she'd be able to accomplish so near her recent indulgence in her feelings. If he did know, Steven would likely be the first to bring up Amethyst's feelings, anyways.

Amethyst settled on that, understanding that her explanation bought her a little more time to think rather than spend the next few minutes in a paranoid panic. She half-consciously looked at her friend, who was still contently leading her along with that secure grasp only he possessed. Yet another thing she'd been glad to discover since deciphering her feelings towards him. Whether he knew of them or not, Steven had been maintaining the same friendly relationship he already had with Amethyst, to which the Gem was still grateful for. Something to feel genuinely lucky about, she supposed.

Not that she intended to, but Amethyst found herself wondering how close Steven had been recently. They had been friends for such a long time that Amethyst was used to his general friendliness and agreeable presence, but she never gave much thought to the idea that they were _always_ that close. She liked to think they were, and not just for a justification of her feelings. Of course, Amethyst understood that they _didn't_ always have such a mutual relationship, given the several millennia she had over him, but they certainly gained as much some undefinable amount of years ago. She wasn't about to call herself some familial role model just because of those aforementioned millennia. While the title was forced upon her at times, Amethyst was far more glad to be _not_ telling Steven what to do.

No, Amethyst thought that she was something of an equal to Steven. Someone that could (hopefully) be relied on without any worry of disobeying or letting down. The feeling of that equality was reason enough to think that, but she honestly did find that it was both easier and more comforting to be equal to Steven. That somewhat explained her thoughts towards him, although Amethyst didn't feel like focusing on that right now. Instead, she felt that the two of them getting in trouble so often _together_ made for a good example of why she could _be_ so close to him (and maybe even vice versa). Amethyst wasn't one for specifics or definitions, but she felt she often called Steven... a _friend_ more than anything else. He earned that title almost daily.

Amethyst didn't really want to risk losing that title, either.

"Amethyst?" the Gem heard at her side, breaking her from her thoughts. Blinking, she looked towards her friend, just now realizing that they had crossed the stone threshold of the fountain some time ago. In her defense, she was busy, though she didn't feel the need to state that to Steven. Amethyst shook her head for a moment, half aware of the lethargy of her eyes as they turned towards her friend. The late hour was beginning to have an effect on her, though that wasn't much of a pressing matter. Steven wore a curious look on his features, not seeming too inquisitive. More interested than questioning. The boy continued, carrying that curiosity into his voice. "What'cha thinking about? You looked kinda serious."

That didn't seem too out of place for Amethyst, but she had to remember that Steven didn't have much of an explicit reason to deviate from the genial mindset she'd just been contemplating. Resolving to relax a little, both for her and his sake, Amethyst sighed, giving the slightest smirk to Steven. "Ah, nothin'," she waved off, hopefully not sounding as serious as she was just called, "Just thinkin' about us."

Amethyst was surprised by her honesty only after it'd been said, and surprised again at her subsequent lack of a real reaction. Not some superficially dampened one, but a genuinely easygoing nod accompanying her words. As if they'd switched places, Steven appeared more surprised than she had, even taking a half-step back towards the fountain. Amethyst couldn't find much justification for that, but she was given some. "Oh, really?" Steven replied in something of an awed tone, not making any move to walk further towards the other Gems waiting for them. "Me too."

That might've been cause for some real surprise, but Amethyst didn't feel as much, subsequently surprising her again. "Great minds _do_ think alike," she muttered with a laugh. She was joined within the second. Steven didn't give Amethyst much of an explanation to exactly _what_ about the both of them he'd been contemplating; Amethyst didn't want to give her own explanation, so she stayed quiet. Still, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't genuinely curious about what Steven was referring to, whether it was about the both of them in broad terms or some specific aspect. In light of recent events, it'd be strange if she _wasn't_ curious.

Steven probably wasn't sheepish, as he couldn't have had much reason to be, but he did seem a bit quieter than he tended to be. Amethyst had certainly known him enough to detect that much. Before she could ask about it (politely), a small noise some distance in front of her attracted her attention. Then Amethyst cleared her own throat, mimicking Pearl.

The Gem was found in a pose less proud than she usually was, having an almost shy stance. She was even pushing her fingers together, as if thinking of discussing some embarrassing topic. Bizarre as that was, Garnet's grin compensated for the lack of familiarity. Amethyst's companions stood just in front of the warp pad that first brought everyone to the fountain, being more still than usual. Not many reasons came to Amethyst's mind that she could easily shrug off as unimportant, especially when she considered their lack of effort to close the fifteen-or-so feet between them.

Reminded of their presence, Steven noticeably rose an eyebrow out of the corner of Amethyst's eye, but he made no move to resume walking towards them. The fusion's smirk in front of them could only account for so much as Steven looked on at the other two Gems, having an expression Amethyst was hesitant to call suspicious. It wasn't every day she saw him with such a look, so she didn't trust the description as accurate.

"Hey, Amethyst?" Steven asked for the Gem's attention again, sounding a bit quieter. Amethyst didn't let go of the others' gazes quite yet, but eventually turned towards Steven, humming acknowledgement. The skeptical expression she'd only peeked at had turned into a concerned one that she'd seen far more often. "Are you... alright? With them knowing?"

Such a drastic change from the general content he had just moments ago startled Amethyst, and she ducked down a little closer to his face on instinct, matching his quiet tone. The question being a little ambiguous, Amethyst decided to answer truthfully rather than cook up an answer she was "supposed" to give.

"Honestly," she started slowly, forgetting that the culprits of their discussion were a visible distance away, "the less people that know, the better." Amethyst could've gone as far as to state why, but found that was difficult to achieve without telling Steven what she wanted no one else to know of. It certainly felt odd to be discussing a secret with someone who only knows of it _and also is the topic of that secret_ , but Amethyst had managed to talk of it far easier than she assumed she would have.

Steven nodded, sighing as though he'd been the one upset that they knew of Amethyst's feelings towards him (ironically enough). A few moments let Amethyst know that he actually _was_ upset that the other Gems knew of what Amethyst had wanted to keep hidden. By now, she wasn't too surprised by the boy's empathy, but she appreciated it nonetheless. He continued, explaining his empathy despite that being virtually unnecessary. "I just... I don't feel like they should know since you never told them. Feels almost like... cheating. Kind of. Is that weird?"

Still touched by the lengths Steven would be concerned for her, the Gem laughed quietly, feeling a slight warmth on her face. It wasn't as uncomfortable as previously, though. "Nah," Amethyst answered, shaking her head. While she might've been skeptic of her own normalcy, she certainly didn't take Steven's concern as strange when it was one of the most consistent things Amethyst had the good fortune of experiencing. "Not really weird. Besides, it ain't like it's easy to keep stuff from Garnet."

Agreeing, Steven laughed a little himself, inciting Amethyst to continue. Now she began leading him towards the others, albeit at a much slower pace. Who knew whether her speed was on purpose or not. "You ought'ta know that by now," she spoke, feeling a tad more comfortable than she could admit to being just a few moments prior. "Remember when you lied about that ice cream yesterday?"

Now Steven laughed a lot louder than before, seemingly forgetting about the Gems in front of him. Both facts were pleasant to Amethyst. The boy nodded again, then seemingly had a thought, making his smile persist. "Y'know," he started slowly, feigning a casual tone, "I also remember you being there for that."

Amethyst smirked, shrugging her shoulders with a wave of her hand. "I dunno what you're talking about," she responded innocently, "You're the one that got punished."

Unsurprisingly, the two of them laughed again, Amethyst using her hand on Steven's to help balance him a bit better. Or maybe it was the other way around; she couldn't tell either way. As the last laughs trickled away, Amethyst sighed, feeling much more content than previously. Combined with how the general discomfort surrounding her "Steven" situation was fading, Amethyst felt her smile with a lot more authenticity and subsequent eagerness. She didn't feel better for simply ignoring the ordeal of her feelings for Steven; instead, she felt as though the matter was more trivial than initially assumed. She obviously believed otherwise, though she could pretend for the time being.

Eventually, Amethyst shrugged casually once more, finding that talking to her friend was beneficial, no matter the topic. "It's fine," she sighed with a dismissive wave of the hand. Returning to the topic that Steven was first concerned with, Amethyst admitted that it was a bit late to change things. "Not much we can do about it now, anyways."

Steven shrugged similarly, copying Amethyst's permissive pose. He didn't quite seem to notice when Amethyst stopped walking, consequently being oblivious to Garnet and Pearl's proximity. All things considered, Amethyst assumed she would've been the distracted one. Both Gems glanced at their companions, seeing that they still didn't offer any words. Pearl made no move to even mention Steven's borderline favoritism despite obviously being close enough to hear it, intriguing Amethyst. Garnet's smile lost some of its juvenile nature, the fusion now returning to the casually mysterious demeanor she's had for so long. That smile diminished after a few moments, though Amethyst couldn't see why. Glancing at her friend revealed that much.

Not that Steven was _glaring_ at Garnet and Pearl, per se, but he definitely had an accusing look that was more often directed towards Amethyst. This time, the boy had an upset, nearly disapproving gaze, like he was trying to shame them for not respecting Amethyst's privacy. As humorous as it was to see everyone switch roles, Amethyst didn't feel that his look did much to alleviate the awkward air. Thankfully, she wasn't given the task of breaking the uncomfortable silence, Pearl stepping up to the plate more readily than Amethyst would have. The tall Gem cleared her throat, seemingly trying to ignore Steven's eyes and only half-succeeding. Still, the relief on her features did seem genuine.

"Thank goodness that worked," she let out with a matching sigh of relief, crouching down towards Amethyst's lackluster height. Pearl inspected her Gem carefully, likely trying to rid any lingering doubts that the fountain had failed. Not that she was surprised that Pearl was as worried as she was, but Amethyst did have to admit that the real reason for visiting Rose's fountain had taken a back seat to her more worrisome "problem". She shouldn't haven been too surprised at Pearl acting otherwise, though reasoned even she could realize that discussing Amethyst's exact feelings wasn't such a smart thing to do directly in front of Steven. Maybe she didn't even find the matter worthy of discussion, though that argument was pushing the envelope.

Amethyst met Pearl's relief with her casual own, stating that she was as good as new. Her more usual tone incited Steven to drop his suspicions for the time being, and he relented in his expression. Garnet's smile returned at this.

"Kinda scared me when I couldn't find you," the young Gem said with his own relief, turning back to Amethyst. She met his gaze, somewhat confused by what he was referring to. It didn't take long to understand his statement was referring to when Amethyst had so unceremoniously dropped from his arms and into the fountain's tears. It took a bit longer for Amethyst to understand what kind of response she should've given, becoming a bit more uncomfortable as she recalled the reason for dropping into the fountain and making Steven search in the first place. A familiar warmth was felt on her cheeks once more. Before Amethyst could dismiss the topic with a brief apology and nervous shrug, Pearl had done what Amethyst had dreaded and asked about the topic, sounding piqued.

"Couldn't find?" she inquired, no longer bearing any semblance of awkwardness or discomfort. Instead, the Gem had that beginning sliver of motherly wariness she usually had when addressing Steven for getting in trouble due to one of Amethyst's more short-sighted suggestions. Something the Gem in question had heard far too often. "What does he mean, he couldn't find you? Weren't you with each other the whole time?"

The conversation was getting dangerously close to Amethyst having to explain bluntly, so she tried best to instead explain in a work-around tone. Under normal circumstances, she'd be able to accomplish that rather easily due to her copious experience in shrugging off blame, but the circumstances were just _not_ normal enough to fluster Amethyst beyond any hope of a simple answer.

"Oh, uh, y'know," she tried, the warmth in her face spreading a tad further as she unconsciously recalled the specifics of what happened at the fountain, "We were just kinda messin' in the fountain, is all. No biggie."

Amethyst's answer didn't do much to alleviate Pearl's mixture of curiosity and suspicion, and ended up strengthening both notions. As much as Amethyst appreciated the concern, she _really_ didn't want Pearl to ask further about the matter. Her silent prayers ensured the opposite effect, no doubt.

"Messing around?" Pearl asked again, slowly gaining the sterner voice she had to use to compensate for Amethyst's usually carefree nature. Steven seemed able to detect the tone, slightly frowning like he accidentally looked directly at someone when told to not make eye contact with them. Pearl stood back up, though did seem hesitant to ignore her relief at Amethyst's restoration. By now, the short Gem would much rather have an argument than revisit the situation at the fountain, but Pearl didn't make that much of a practicality. "Why would you try 'messing around' with a damaged Gem? Even if there were no immediate effects, ignoring your Gem's condition is a poor choice."

Pearl was getting a little close to that lecturing tone Amethyst always detested, but at least she seemed to be making an effort to avoid that tone. She sounded more disappointed than accusing. However, the fact that they were _still_ discussing the matter of Amethyst's restoration was stressing her either way. Garnet didn't pitch in to the conversation, instead being some outside observer. Focusing on her didn't help end the conversation, though, so Amethyst tried to dismiss the topic early once more.

"It's fine, Pearl," Steven spoke for Amethyst. Her words being something along those lines, Amethyst looked back at Steven, seeing a rarer amount of conviction in his features. Still, not being the one currently talking meant Amethyst wasn't in any real control of where the conversation was headed. Steven continued, likely unaware of Amethyst's silent wishes. "We weren't doing anything bad. And the fountain was right there, too."

Amethyst released her breath, allowing herself to feel _some_ relief at Steven's lack of specifics. Being genuinely casual about the topic let him give a much more convincing answer. Pearl relented a little of her tone, though had taken to crossing her arms in a more forcibly tolerant manner. Steven being the one that spoke probably helped.

"I trust you to do the right thing," Pearl vaguely admitted to either Steven, Amethyst, or both of them, "but Gem damage is serious. What were you doing that could've delayed healing it further?"

Either Pearl forgot about the rest from the mission everyone took after first transporting to where they were, or she didn't give that much mind. Amethyst was frustrated at either case, wondering why in the world Pearl would care so much about the comparatively few minutes before her being healed rather than the much longer relaxation everyone adhered to. The tall Gem didn't pay much attention to the frustration on Amethyst's face, and neither did Steven. That frustration distracted Amethyst from noticing her opportunity to end the conversation right then and there, meaning Steven spoke up before she could once more.

"Talking, kissing, hugging," the boy listed off simply. "Nothin' that'd hurt her Gem or anything."

For one brief moment, Amethyst and Pearl seemed to be on the same page, both of them giving a loud " _What?_ " at Steven's words. Garnet audibly laughed, which would've been a lot more endearing if Amethyst wasn't so irritated at how she always knew more than she let on. The caution of Pearl's expression evaporated instantly, being replaced by a rather extreme amount of shock. Amethyst likely had a similar look on her own features, the heated blush on her cheeks dominating every possible inch of her face that it could. Neither of the Gems' expressions seemed to have an effect on Steven's, the boy treating his admittance with as much nonchalance as he would have in asking Amethyst what movie she'd sneaked out of the store. After a few gracious attempts, Pearl finally recovered enough to ask _even further_ about what happened at the fountain.

"Kissing?" she immediately questioned, only shooting a glance at Amethyst for a fraction of a second. Of course she'd ask about that. Pearl might as well have spent ten minutes glaring at Amethyst for all her brief look said, like there was approximately one answer out of thousands that even had a chance of diffusing the situation. The panic instincts that came with biological survival finally kicked on in Amethyst's head, causing her to blurt out the most dismissive answer she could think of before Steven could inadvertently worsen the situation some more.

"Yeah, yeah," the violet Gem said far faster than any easygoing tone would dictate, "Y'know, usual stuff. Kiss on the cheek. Feelin' nice 'cause he was. Nothin' out of the ordinary."

Feeling a small sweat bead on her brow, Amethyst attempted to give Pearl one of her usual innocent grins, though Steven's look of confusion almost pulled her expression away. She could only hope that Steven didn't move to contradict her arguably little white lie. Judging by how she could veritably feel Garnet roll her eyes, Amethyst threw in a few more silent hopes that _she_ wouldn't contradict her lie, either. Just a second passed in reality when Amethyst got the idea to blame Pearl for being so nosy, but the Gem had an unnerving amount of intimidation in her features that dissuaded her. So much stern silence was in her face that Amethyst was hesitant to decipher what her intense concern was directed at. Pearl didn't appear _angry,_ though for all Amethyst knew, she was holding back. The Gem eventually spoke, her words sounding more forcibly condensed than quiet.

"I see." After just two words, Pearl broke her borderline glare at Amethyst to look back at Garnet. Would it be unrealistic to assume her glare hadn't dissipated? Probably not. Now free from the Gem's accusing gaze, Amethyst sighed, then copied the gaze and directed it towards Steven. He still had the nonchalant expression he first had when giving Pearl an answer, his confusion notwithstanding. Noise had the possibility of reacquiring Pearl's attention, so Amethyst kept her glare silent. Like Pearl had hopefully been, Amethyst wasn't angry at Steven for being so willingly honest, but she certainly wasn't _joyous_ at his candor.

Steven did seem to understand that he said something wrong, and like Amethyst assumed, he also seemed smart enough to think that his openness was at fault. As soon as Amethyst could see the fact reach his brain, he cringed a little, now appearing more than apologetic. "Sorry," he whispered, likely following after her and avoiding Pearl's attention. Amethyst accepted his apology after only a brief moment, quietly sighing and rolling her eyes. She couldn't tell if he had connected the dots and figured out what he said related to the "secret" (was it really a secret if only the minority of people didn't know it?), but worrying about that would do her little good.

Still keeping quiet, Amethyst cautiously looked back to Pearl. She appeared to be trying to have a silent conversation with Garnet, but the fusion was as cryptic as she was when talking out loud. She certainly was enjoying this whole situation, no doubt. Pearl eventually either gave up on Garnet or heard all she needed to, looking back at Amethyst with a forcibly polite expression. Amethyst could only note how that expression wasn't directed towards Steven in the slightest. Pearl clasped her hands together, her eyes persistently tied to Amethyst's.

"Well," she began, sounding noticeably more eager than she was a minute or so ago, "Regardless, I am glad to see you're healed." Her care wasn't appreciated with as much enthusiasm this time around, but Amethyst didn't have much else to practically work with. She gave a brief "Thanks," in response, then took note of the late hour. It was more out of convenience than real relevance, as it was one of the few things that _didn't_ have to do with the past dozen or so minutes.

"Y'know, it's gettin' pretty late," Amethyst admitted after a short delay, looking back up at the stars above. They shined with as much fervor as they had when the Gems first returned to the fountain. Out of the corner of her eye, Steven followed her gaze, then promptly yawned. It didn't sound too fake. The boy agreed to Amethyst's statement, reasoning that it couldn't have been much longer until midnight. He didn't bother to check his cell phone for accuracy, but Amethyst honestly couldn't remember if he even brought it with him on the mission. Probably not.

Garnet was the third to agree to Amethyst's statement, sounding genuinely surprised that everyone had forgotten about the time for as long as they did. Amethyst supposed that feelings were one of the only things able to distract Garnet, which seemed apt. Though her statement had almost seemed out of place in how abrupt it was, it was a good return to the usual days everyone had back at the temple. Casualness had seemed so foreign as of late. Thankfully, Pearl seemed just as ready to return to the Gems' normalcy, following Garnet's example and being startled to discover how much time they'd spent in the caves from before.

Unsurprisingly, the Gem noted Steven's curfew being a concern, to which Amethyst waved off on mere instinct. "I think he can sleep on his own, P," she told the Gem with a shrug, "Dude's fourteen, 'member?" Somehow, unconsciously yawning during her statement seemed to devalue the point she was trying to make. Steven's small laugh at her yawn probably didn't help, either. Regardless, Pearl made a point of stepping onto the warp pad behind her, muttering some argument that Amethyst was several millennia old and _she_ still didn't sleep right. Another shrug was given in response.

Garnet stepped up onto the warp pad herself, still not saying much. The most she _did_ say was an offhand comment on Pearl's conviction that Gem's didn't need sleep despite her many attempts to practice the ritual. Both Steven and Amethyst laughed, the former leading his friend to where their companions stood. Reminded of his grip, Amethyst looked down for a moment, taking a silent note of how natural her hand felt in his, to the point of being a comfortable white-noise. Though she still hadn't quite figured out how best to go about her "situation" with him, Amethyst could appreciate a friend's grasp either way.

All Amethyst could wonder was how she'd be able to let go before being enveloped in a bright blue light once again.

* * *

After a few moments, the light ceased, giving Amethyst a much more comfortable view. Or, at least, it was more comfortable after her eyes adjusted from the beam's brightness to the stark darkness of the temple. Not much could be identified in the blackness, though the homey smell alone could suffice. Pearl moved to the nearest light-switch the moment the beam had cleared away, subsequently forcing Amethyst's eyes to adjust once more. It took about a total of fifteen seconds for the Gem to actually see that they were back home.

"Ah," Steven exhaled in the same instant Pearl had turned on the lights, "home again, home again." He seemed to gain far more fatigue in the past five minutes than during the rest of the night, though Amethyst hadn't been paying much attention to his exhaustion in all honesty. She didn't _feel_ like the mission had taken too much of the day. Whether it had or not, Steven yawned again, nodding towards the clock on the nearby stove. Glancing at it confirmed that he wasn't too inaccurate with his earlier assumption, the time reading 10:40.

Pearl, being as motherly as she usually was, noticed the time not long after Steven, humming disapproval. It was another pleasant return to the usual days Amethyst had. Unfortunately, being aware of her hand's occupation ensured that it'd be a while until things _completely_ returned to normal (and she thought her doubts that things ever _would_ were justified). Before Pearl could inevitably tell Steven that he'd best head to bed, the boy spoke up, likely being used to hearing her statement.

"Best head to bed," he admitted, likely taking the words right of Pearl's mouth. The Gem halted with her mouth open before nodding approval. Amethyst didn't agree herself, but she wasn't about to plead for him to stay up a bit longer. Maybe sleeping on the matter concerning him would do her some good, too. A nap in general sounded beneficial. Garnet took a step towards Steven, tousling his hair with the same smile she's been so determined to maintain. Feeling some of the sprinkles of tears fall from his hair, Amethyst noted how they were both a bit too damp to sleep. At least, Steven probably was; Amethyst wasn't picky. The fusion gave a standard "Good night," to Steven alongside some causal praise for his help with the mission. Steven returned the gesture with a grateful bow, mentioning that she was welcome.

Amethyst, recalling how he'd been more than helpful during the "mission" part of the past hour or so, followed after Garnet's example. "Yeah, thanks for that, bud," she said similarly. She would've given him a pat on the back, but her hand was currently in use. Steven seemed aware of that, looking at their shared contact for a sliver of a moment before shaking his head and returning his eyes towards Amethyst. He repeated his bow, albeit with an added laugh. After a mediocre delay of silence only interrupted by the sound of Garnet's door closing, Amethyst recalled that Steven had somewhere to be, and awkwardly released her grasp from his. Hopefully it wasn't _too_ awkward.

The following repeat of silence didn't leave Amethyst too sure. Still, Steven returned his hand to his side, giving her a fair smile. She returned it on instinct; it'd be rude not to, regardless of how odd it had felt to simply _be_ around him. Pearl returned to Amethyst's vision, having an expression that was difficult to interpret. Either questioning or disapproving. Steven didn't give her features much mind, taking about two steps past her. Halfway through the third step to the bathroom, Steven halted abruptly, like he just recalled he left his window open while they were all away from the temple. He didn't. Amethyst eyed him curiously, hoping that she wasn't about to have another unpleasant conversation involving secrets, emotions, and/or unnecessarily complicated relationships.

Steven nullified his two steps of progress the moment Pearl showed the slightest interest in what he was mulling over, stepping back to Amethyst's side. The Gem was more than a little surprised when she felt Steven's arms wrap around her near instantly. The enthusiasm of his embrace wasn't lost on her, more out of surprise than appreciation. Amethyst could veritably feel his grin as he spoke, despite saying about two words.

"G'night, Amethyst," he told her plainly. By now, Amethyst had become desensitized to how long a hug was _supposed_ to last, so she used the surprise on Pearl's face as a tell. Surely a hug was at least normal between them, though, so Amethyst didn't understand how Pearl was startled by the embrace. Then again, Amethyst was surprised too, so...

Hesitantly, Amethyst returned Steven's affection, reminding herself not to get too caught up in it. Her reciprocation made the embrace last that much longer. Steven released his grasp just as Amethyst was about to go back on her conviction, though his following smile was caught in the nick of time. With one final lingering grin, Steven resumed his walk to the bathroom, still not paying any mind to Pearl's inquisitive features. Amethyst continued looking in his direction even after the door shut behind him, the last sight being his grasp of a nearby towel. Guess she was right with her earlier statement.

Another few seconds of ambiguous silence passed when Pearl cleared her throat, sounding simultaneously nervous and accusing. Amethyst had hoped for just a little more time. Conceding, Amethyst sighed, turning towards the Gem. She still didn't appear to be all that upset, but had a familiar "we need to talk" look on her features. Amethyst expected as much, but took after Steven and didn't mention it. In her experience, it was more beneficial to let Pearl be the first to talk (not that the Gem ever believed so), so Amethyst maintained the quiet as she strode towards the nearby washcloth in the kitchen.

Giving her face a somewhat lethargic pat down from the tears of the fountain, Amethyst eventually realized that Pearl should've said something the moment she'd begun walking away. The short Gem turned towards her, carefully lowering the washcloth from her face. Pearl looked like she _wanted_ to say something, but for once, didn't seem to have the courage. That was certainly new. Considering what else was new as of late, Amethyst had a fairly good idea of what Pearl wished to talk about.

"Later, okay?" she let out with another quiet groan. Her words sounded a bit more aggressive than she initially wanted, and Amethyst met Pearl's defensive expression with an apologetic one. The wooden door to the bathroom wasn't entirely soundproof, so Pearl spoke quietly, her tone having more caution than usual (which was saying something).

"I... understand," she let out slowly, gradually walking towards Amethyst. Her pace heightened with her words when Amethyst began stepping towards her room, tossing the washcloth behind her. "But... are you going to discuss it? With him?"

Normally, Amethyst wouldn't have much an idea of what she was talking about, but realizing how much Pearl knew subsequently let her know a lot more. Though her words were vague, the message was still clear. Amethyst paused for a moment, internally groaning. One person stressing about Steven and her's relationship was enough. That was without the maternal concern Pearl always had for arguably either one of them, too. Amethyst mulled over her answer, finding that the earlier one she gave to Steven was one of the only reasons she could answer now. Going back on her word wasn't something she'd ever think of doing in her friend's case.

"Yeah," Amethyst eventually answered, some of the stress on her features melting into a more fitting exhaustion. She didn't say more, which hopefully didn't upset Pearl. There wasn't much that Amethyst could've said that also would've been truthful. Her companion nodded, thankfully not asking anything else. Amethyst appreciated as much. Just before opening her respective door of the temple, Amethyst paused, a thought occurring to her.

How _would_ she go about talking to Steven?

For the most part, Steven was often one of the easiest people Amethyst could talk to, but it's not as though she could bring up the topic of her feelings towards him as easily as she would introduce a confession that she ate one too many of his plates. Certainly such an awkward discussion deserved some degree of planning. However, Amethyst wasn't much of a planner, nor was she one for emotional candor. Those were Pearl's and Steven's departments, respectively. Amethyst didn't think that something of a grand confession would work, though at the same time, somehow transitioning to the ordeal of her feelings from a more casual topic didn't seem realistic.

Behind her, Pearl moved almost carefully, taking a slightly wider arc around Amethyst than she needed to. The Gem didn't pay her much mind as she opened the door to her own room, passing onto the watery surface in silence. Being alone didn't do much to help get her thoughts in order.

Admittedly, Amethyst could've shrugged off worrying about her inevitable "talk" with Steven for the time being, but it was one of the few things that didn't feel right to ignore. It wouldn't be long before Steven would ask her for a more accurate time of discussion than "later," anyways. For once, Amethyst decided that having some previous knowledge of what she should say was a good idea. The fact that she didn't _have_ that knowledge was made more irritating as an effect.

Like most things she had to admit about herself, Amethyst wasn't all that eager to recall her lackluster experience with emotional honesty. The concept never seemed to "click" for her. It always seemed to come to others a lot more easily, for reasons she was slow to forget about. More specifically, being so sincere was something of second nature to Steven, and probably Garnet if the fusion bothered to speak clearly. Amethyst had discussed that difficulty with Steven far earlier, but as much as she wanted to believe otherwise, a grand epiphany of openness wasn't something she could achieve overnight.

Maybe someone with more experience could help her. Amethyst wasn't one for relying on others, either, but an exception felt justified when it was for Steven's sake. Most things felt justified when Steven was the motivation, though. Regardless, Amethyst felt that some guidance would help ease her talk with Steven. She didn't really want to discuss how to be so open with the friend she was thinking of practicing _for,_ so that left about two options. One of those options was just told that she'd discuss the matter later, narrowing down Amethyst's choices. At least the "decision" was a bit of an easy one, albeit forcefully.

Just after her dissatisfied hum, Amethyst heard a door open behind her, and she turned to see Steven standing in the bathroom doorway. He seemed surprised to find Amethyst still in the exterior part of the temple. Amethyst returned that surprise with her own, not expecting to see him until the next day. That surprise was amplified a little when she noticed Steven's bare torso. For a few moments, they stared at each other in silence, which Amethyst only somewhat expected. The quiet reigned for about three more seconds until Steven cleared his throat.

The noise jump-started Amethyst's brain, automating her legs to follow through with walking to her room. "Sorry, thinking," she quickly muttered, wondering what she had to be sorry for. Steven hummed acknowledgement as the door to Amethyst's room split open, not nearly as fast as the Gem wanted it to. She didn't bother looking behind her as she nearly jogged into her room, still giving herself a few more moments even after the door shut.

"Yeah," she muttered to herself, slowly stepping in the vague direction of Garnet's room, "Could definitely use the help."

* * *

 **A/N:** Like chapter six, I imagined that not a whole lot happened in this chapter, and earlier expressed my guilt about spending so much time on a "filler" chapter. I learned it to be more later on, but still, there's that nagging "uninspired" business that bugs me so much to go back and revise it. Unfortunately, this was written at a time where I didn't really have the time to revise it. Hope it was a good read regardless. We're nearing the end now, don't slow down! I believe in you!


	9. Remedy

**A/N:** This is _the **only**_ chapter out of all ten (minus the first, though) that was posted at a reasonable time. If I recall correctly, this was posted about one week after the last chapter, as opposed to the one to three or even _four_ months in between all the other chapters. So you can imagine my worry when this chapter received nary a review for a considerable length of time. I did eventually get one, but after getting used to the general explosion of good reception after long waits, receiving a mediocre reception when I expected praise for finally updating after a reasonable time was... disconcerting, to say the least. This marked the beginning of a considerable period of time where I didn't get much attention _at all_ , anywhere, good or bad.

Well, these things happen. Best take it in stride, yeah? Not too big of a deal, anyways. Read on, reader! I hope you like this chapter! Have a great day!

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _IX: Remedy_

Steven closed the door behind him, trying not to think on Pearl's expression too much as he reached for the light-switch. He wasn't that successful (in ignoring Pearl's expression, not turning on the lights; he's been in his bathroom before) _._ As much as he outwardly ignored the Gem's minor grimace, Steven was all too aware of Pearl's frown, and even more aware of who received it. He had an idea of why Pearl was being so disapproving, though he didn't want to think too hard about it. Amethyst had promised to tell him what had likely made Pearl appear upset, so _that's_ when he ought to hear of whatever was bothering her. He had his own issue to work out, anyways.

Steven lifted a nearby towel to his face, pausing only for a moment to think on his terminology. "Issue" didn't feel like the right word, though it was the only one that came to mind. Maybe if Amethyst had asked about it earlier, Steven would have a better way to describe the concern. Darn her respect for his privacy. It was trivial, really; so trivial that the only real worry Steven had about the occurrence might've been simple paranoia. However, paranoia was still a problem in its own right, which subsequently justified his paranoia.

"Later, okay?" Steven barely heard on the other side of the bathroom door. Surprised, both for noticing that Amethyst and Pearl were still in the house and that they were on speaking terms, Steven halted. He moved a tad closer to the door, going back on his earlier statement of not eavesdropping for the sake of practicality. If they were going to discuss Amethyst's problem, then he'd shut his ears off, anyways. Neither Gem spoke for a bit, pausing a bit longer than most hesitations lasted. Then, Pearl spoke up, though she was a bit harder to hear than Amethyst despite being closer to the bathroom.

"I... understand," she said with a noticeable sigh, her voice sounding muffled. Pressing his ear up to the wood of the door allowed Steven to make out the subtle steps of both Gems as they headed towards the temple's interior. "But... are you going to discuss it? With him?"

In all honesty, Steven was a bit slow to move his hands to his ears, still trying to work out if they'd discuss "it" explicitly. His hesitation was more out of wondering what Pearl was attempting to convey than trying to ignore Amethyst's privacy. Amethyst didn't give any answer for a while. Then, she let out a tired "Yeah," of agreement, sounding even quieter than Pearl had. It was difficult to decipher even the one word.

Pausing for a while longer, Steven waited for any further discussion between the two Gems, though neither seemed to say much more. He interpreted that as the end of their brief conversation, and moved away from the door, careful to not make too much noise (it's not like the door could be one-way soundproof). The only thing Steven could take away from their talk was that Pearl had definitely known about what was bothering Amethyst so much, given the (more or less) casual tone she had brought up the topic with. It was enough to make Steven jealous.

Well... maybe not _jealous._ He didn't envy Pearl for being given that information so directly, albeit through Garnet rather than Amethyst. Steven thought that he was more frustrated, for reasons he found justified. Evidently, _everyone_ had known of what Amethyst was being troubled by, and yet _no one_ was moving to remedy the matter. Garnet had treated it with a casual grin, but that didn't devalue how Amethyst had obviously felt about her problem. _That_ was the important part. Neither the fusion nor Pearl had apparently tried to ease Amethyst's apprehension despite knowing the most about how to do just that. Steven knew the least out of the four Gems, and yet he seemed to be the only person that had _wanted_ to help Amethyst, excluding the Gem in question.

Groaning (quietly so as to not be heard), Steven continued drying himself off from the fountain's tears. He had enough trust in his companions to believe that they _wanted_ to help, but neither one seemed to be trying very hard. Maybe he was just feeling spiteful on account of his lackluster information. Recently, not being given as much information about his _better-than-best_ friend was more troubling than it would have been a mere day or two ago. Steven already understood that he was feeling particularly close to Amethyst as of late, but what he didn't understand was _how_ close he was to her.

Eventually, Steven realized that the towel he was drying himself with wasn't doing much more, and he put the cloth down to take off his previously soaked shirt. The warmth of the tears had been replaced by the usual uncomfortable chill of water some minutes ago, but the discomfort did little to distract him. For the most part, Steven considered himself more in-tune and knowledgeable about his relationships with others, having so many agreeable ones that it was difficult to be uncomfortable around people. There was rarely a moment when he didn't know what to do, be it a simple joke or to leave someone alone. One would normally think that someone as close as Amethyst would be the easiest person to simply _be_ around, but as of late, that didn't seem to be the case.

Hence Steven's frustration. Both he and his friend had a level of understanding that might've been new to him, but he still should've been used to it within minutes. For the minutes following their talk at the mission's start, Steven _was._ What was difficult to figure out was the more recent case where he _didn't_ feel as comfortable around Amethyst. The Gem's friendly behavior, while entirely accepted with eagerness, didn't do much to alleviate Steven's confusion.

Outside the bathroom door, another noise was heard, this time being the obvious droning of the temple door as someone opened it. Amethyst likely entered her room, probably to nap as she usually did following... most activities, really. Coincidentally, Steven had just finished drying the last remnants of the fountain's tears from his body. Still, he lingered in the bathroom for a bit, having some inexplicable paranoia that wasn't justified by any reason he could find practical. After a couple seconds, Steven figured that no practical reasons meant no practical paranoia, so he opened the door, chastising himself for being as nonsensical as he was. He didn't even get as far as saying his own name before coming face-to-face with Amethyst.

Steven paused, half-consciously noting that she was still a bit of a distance away to be calling it "face-to-face". She stood in front of the temple door, staring at Steven as though she wasn't expecting to see him. He wasn't expecting to see _her._ As a result, he stared back, not having much to meet Amethyst's own silence. Eventually, Steven realized that actually saying something could remedy the awkward air, though the most that he did was clear his throat. In the quiet, it'd sounded far louder than he intended. The noise seemed to jump-start Amethyst into reanimation, and she shook her head, still appearing surprised.

"Sorry, thinking," she muttered, almost inaudible. Steven wondered what she had to be sorry about before the Gem opened her door much faster than she ever had in the past. Somehow, she still appeared impatient. All Steven could do was raise a questioning finger before she jogged into her room, not looking back. As fast as she turned her head, Steven still thought her cheeks appeared momentarily darker than usual. By now, the occurrence was so common that it was less normal for her face's hue to match the rest of her.

Steven still allowed himself a few more moments of confusion now that he was _actually_ alone. He didn't think much of Amethyst's odd demeanor, believing it to be consistent with her overall behavior towards him. In broad terms, she was certainly acting _different_ around him, though he didn't complain. Steven sure as heck wasn't oblivious to the more friendly ease Amethyst had around him, especially considering her most recent show of affection. He wasn't about to forget that for a _long_ time. As much as he enjoyed the closer relationship he'd gained with Amethyst over the past hour, though, Steven found it equally troubling on account of his difficulty in putting a satisfactory name on it. A name wasn't imperative, though it would probably help simplify things for him.

Thinking, Steven strode to the closet underneath his room's stairs, hearing the soft patter of rain outside. Based on the clear sky seen at his mother's fountain, it was safe to assume that it was a fair distance from the temple. Steven didn't think much of it, being preoccupied with more pressing matters. Amethyst's friendly actions, whatever the reasoning behind them (not that any real reasoning was necessary), had been met with open arms in the short term, but their effect in the long-term was proving to be... confusing. Or, as Steven had thought earlier, frustrating. Of course, Steven didn't blame any of that frustration on Amethyst. The most she'd done was provide reason to be frustrated, and Steven didn't think that was her intent.

Steven wasn't aware if he was supposed to interpret Amethyst's actions in a certain manner, but some odd paranoia told him he should. As if he ought to think of her friendliness in a more serious regard. Steven knew himself well enough to understand being serious wasn't something he usually _wanted_ to do, so feeling like he ought to be serious about someone as casual and enjoyable as Amethyst wasn't too comforting. Surely enjoying her presence alone could suffice, regardless of whether or not he could accurately reason why her presence was so agreeable. The furthest he bothered to get for his reasoning was "it's Amethyst", and that had been a good enough reason for a lot of things. More specifically, "it's Amethyst" had been one of the main reasons Steven didn't bother to think much of her kiss following the minutes after it.

So why was he thinking about that kiss so much now?

Steven felt a frown form on his features as he opened the door to his closet, reaching for his dry pajamas. Not even the cold shock of the door's handle could break his thoughts, most of which involving Amethyst's more intimate affection. Steven _had_ enjoyed it, there was no doubt about that, but the specific feeling he'd received was difficult to understand. The especially frustrating part was that it was difficult not out of complexity, but out of inexperience. Whatever feeling Amethyst had induced was _new,_ and that was about all Steven knew of it. Considering how much he knew about Amethyst, being unable to figure out some little thing like a single feeling regarding her felt almost pathetic. He was tempted to ask the Gem in question for advice, but that didn't feel like the best idea, for multiple reasons.

Thinking on those reasons would have to occur later, though. Right now, the night was having an effect on Steven, forcing a yawn out of him just as he finished changing into his sleepwear. Hopefully some rest would clear some things up overnight. At the very least, focusing on a more usual task like sleeping felt like a welcome idea. Steven threw his damp clothes back into the closet before heading towards his room, trying to ignore his more troubling thoughts on Amethyst. He had a slew of comforting ones to work with, anyways.

Downstairs, Steven heard the temple door open once again. The action took much longer compared to Amethyst's rush to open the door to her room, though Steven wasn't about to assume. He looked over his room's edge and found Pearl standing in the metal doorway, the Gem having an unfamiliar stance. While her expression was difficult to tell from where he was, Steven thought she appeared far shyer than she was when regarding Amethyst. She might've been a little distracted, too, as it took a couple moments for her to meet Steven's curious gaze. That earlier frustration of being given the least to help Amethyst incited Steven to give a more deadpan "Hey," to Pearl, the boy being more in a mood to sleep rather than talk. He didn't have much to really talk about, anyways.

After another noticeable delay, Steven heard Pearl return the greetings, her tone being almost inaudible. She didn't say much else. Steven looked at her for a bit longer before shrugging and moving back to his bed. He had gotten as far as pulling the blanket back before noticing Pearl's steps slowly approaching. Hopefully she wasn't going to watch him sleep again. It took some time for Pearl's steps to reach a distance that could be read as an attempt to talk to Steven.

Piqued by the odd quiet of her footfalls, Steven turned his head, watching Pearl slowly climb the stairs to his room. Even now, she seemed to be avoiding his gaze, as if she had some reason to be guilty. Did _everyone_ have something to be troubled by? Steven let his expression soften, putting off the exhaustion of the night for a little while longer. He was used to staying up, anyways, given the occasional return to the wrestling ring he joined Amethyst on. Pearl didn't say much to Steven, moving to his bed before sitting down with the troubled expression Steven first had difficulty deciphering. Unsurprisingly, she patted the area beside her, inviting Steven to sit down. The action was so atypically serious that Steven complied without many of his own words.

"Pearl?" he eventually asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence, "What is it?"

The tall Gem sighed, seemingly thinking about her words. Given how quiet she was being, Steven had thought she was going to discuss some sensitive topic; if she was about to mention whatever Amethyst was being troubled by, Steven was ready to plug his ears. Amethyst would be the one to tell him; she had been apprehensive enough about even _agreeing_ to tell him. Pearl didn't seem to want to talk directly about that, though there was an emphasis on _directly._

"Forgive me if it's none of my business, Steven," she started uncertainly, looking hesitant, "but... what exactly _did_ happen at Rose's fountain?"

Well, Steven would be lying if he said he hadn't anticipated that as a potential question. Reflexively, he entertained the idea of a dismissive answer, considering how his more direct one had somehow upset Amethyst earlier. He was tempted to tell Pearl that she already knew what happened at the fountain, too, but both of those answers couldn't be given with much persuasiveness. Steven wasn't too great of a liar. Besides, Pearl sounded more pleading than demanding, meaning she sounded far less serious than she had when she first asked Amethyst the same thing she was asking Steven now. The Gem told him to please be honest when she saw Steven thinking on his answer.

"Not a whole lot," he eventually let out, being careful with his words. Maybe he could incite a more equally beneficial share of honesty. "Amethyst and I were talking, first, about what she was upset about. She didn't really like that I knew something was wrong."

Pearl nodded, as if she had expected as much. Before she could ask anything else, Steven almost interrupted himself. "Pearl, is it really something bad?"

Now Pearl appeared surprised, which Steven didn't entirely understand. "I don't wanna hear _what's_ bothering her," he quickly clarified, "but it can't really be something so awful that she can't tell me."

Pursing her lips, Pearl thought before speaking again, likely working out how much she could divulge. It was much better than her being so blatant and open about the ordeal, though the wait to actually hear an answer from her felt far longer than it should have. When Pearl _did_ talk, she sounded quieter than she had through the barrier of the bathroom door. "She said that she'd discuss it with you, correct?"

Steven thought for a moment, wondering what Amethyst would've wanted him to say. Unfortunately, that was difficult to know of without the Gem being in the immediate vicinity. Hopefully she wouldn't mind his honesty now. Maybe Pearl wouldn't even mention this conversation to Amethyst. "Yeah," Steven tentatively answered after a delay comparable to Pearl's, "but she's acting like it's murder or something. And I really don't think it is."

Now Pearl responded with much more fervor than previously, some of the apprehensiveness leaving her expression. "Of course not," she agreed, looking certain. Her confirmation did little to change Steven's stance on Amethyst's mystery problem, though it was comforting to have his conviction reassured. The small boost of confidence Pearl had gained was lost not long after Steven reciprocated it, though, so he held onto his caution of what was and wasn't topic for discussion.

"I must admit," Pearl began after another delay, "I can't say for certain whether the... 'issue' is as severe as she makes it out to be, but I do feel otherwise." Given how uncharacteristically dramatic his violet friend was being over the matter, Steven agreed. He hadn't seen many things that could bring the Gem to be awkward about anything, much less in his own presence. Sure, the issue was that Amethyst was still bothered by _something,_ but solving the issue would likely be easier than assumed. Pearl cleared her throat after some time, returning to the topic that first brought her to sitting in Steven's room next to him.

"What else happened at the fountain?" she inquired again, gaining a bit more ease in her statement. That equated to having a bit more of that motherly tone, though Steven didn't mind too much. Given how they'd both assured the triviality of whatever upset Amethyst, Steven felt a lot more ready to give his answer, albeit not an _entire_ answer. More of a polite inquiry in the form of a polite accusation. Hopefully it was polite.

"We were talking about the problem, then, and how you and Garnet knew about it." A pause was given, though Pearl didn't seem to take the hint, prompting Steven to continue. "Even though Amethyst didn't tell you guys."

Again, Pearl continued listening, then eventually realized Steven's slight equivalent of a disapproving tone. She didn't exactly revert to some defensive disposition, though Steven would by lying if he said she appeared as casual as she was a moment ago.

"Yes, well," the tall Gem tried explaining, suddenly interested in the mediocre patter of rain outside. Steven kept his eyes on her, trying to read her expression. "Neither Garnet nor I intended to learn of it."

She pondered for a moment. "At the very least, I didn't."

Steven maintained his silence, quietly persuading Pearl to explain. She muttered something about how difficult it was to keep things from Garnet before continuing. "Garnet spoke rather cryptically to me, about... what Amethyst was troubled by. It certainly took longer for me to figure her exact wording."

A few more seconds passed, and Steven sighed, relenting in his expression. It wasn't all that surprising to know Garnet had learned of Amethyst's issue first, but Steven _still_ didn't know himself. Pearl finally seemed to notice his lack of information as disconcerting.

"I'm not offering," she sighed, beginning to realize Steven's questioning tone as frustrated, "but... you _truly_ don't want to hear of Amethyst's 'dilemma'?"

Confused, Steven frowned at Pearl, wondering her question. "I _do,_ " he pointed out, "but I want her to tell me. I mean, it looked like she really didn't want to tell me, but she said she would, so..."

The matter seemed pretty obvious to Steven, so he didn't really know what else to tell Pearl. His words seemed sufficient enough, as Pearl nodded understanding once again. It was difficult to tell how she didn't understand beforehand. The Gem dropped the topic of who knew what and continued questioning Steven. "So, after you'd discussed how we'd known about Amethyst's trouble...?"

Pearl seemed much less interrogatory than she was when asking Steven why he thought whatever stunt he pulled was a good idea (the answer tended to be "Amethyst said so," amusingly), but Steven was still wary of her interest in what had happened a dozen or two minutes ago. More of a caution gained from being caught by her so many times. Still, Steven could read the Gem's good intentions, so he answered further honestly. "After that, Amethyst finally said she'd tell me, but I don't know if she wanted to any time soon. I hope so. Then, after that, we..."

For some reason Steven couldn't immediately discern, he hesitated, recalling exactly what happened after he caught Amethyst following her eager jump into his arms. Unconsciously, he felt his face grow a tad warm, and he unnecessarily cleared his throat. Of course, Pearl noticed as much, gaining some hefty suspicion in a matter of seconds. Steven was hesitant to relay what occurred next, though his earlier answer to Pearl granted her enough to fairly assume. She spoke anyways, either looking for confirmation or trying to help Steven continue.

"She kissed you," the Gem spoke flatly, "likely not on the cheek."

"It wasn't anything bad!" Steven instantly tried to diffuse. The subtle warmth on his cheeks graduated to a fuller heat felt on his face's majority. Despite Pearl's lack of accusation or abhorrence, Steven extended his excuse out of unknown paranoia. "It was, y'know, just a friendly little kiss. Nothing serious or anything, just really nice. Only lasted a few seconds, probably. I think. Y-yeah."

Strangely, Pearl smiled at Steven's first confession, and at his last, the Gem audibly laughed. It was such an unexpected noise that Steven stopped short, hoping that he wouldn't have to explain his own thoughts about Amethyst's affection. As he realized prior, he really _couldn't_ explain his own thoughts. Pearl didn't seem at all interested in that at the moment, the Gem having a smile with such good intent that Steven wasn't aware if she was the same Pearl that first strode up to his room in a shy silence. After a few moments, she spoke, sounding much less accusing than Steven's paranoia told him she would.

"Steven," she eased the boy with a persistent smile, "it's alright. I expected as much. After all, this is Amethyst." Her tone did little to assuage Steven's paranoia, so he was hesitant to say anything in response. Pearl filled the quiet for him, talking further. "Speaking honestly, I don't think you had much say in the matter, did you?"

She wasn't strictly criticizing Amethyst, as Pearl's tone now held much more relaxation than it first had. It sounded more like Pearl was cracking a joke than trying to find a reason to blame Amethyst for something. Hesitantly, Steven nodded, hoping once again that Amethyst wouldn't later be upset at his openness. He didn't dare say much more, being unsure of what would come out of his mouth. Any notion of his excessive enjoyment of the kiss wasn't something he was so ready to admit, especially to Pearl. He was glad she felt more comfortable discussing the topic of their friend, but Steven's persistent paranoia made Pearl's next question much harder to answer.

"How," she began, clearing her throat to gain the more professional tone she usually forced upon herself, "...how do you feel about it?"

If that didn't hit the nail on the head, a hammer the size of a building couldn't. Steven automatically assumed the dismissive tone he first gave Pearl, but the Gem's expression prevented him from simply humming befuddlement. Concern was seen on her features, clear as day, but also a degree of curiosity that told Steven he could afford to be honest with his answer. Shame that he wasn't sure what answer he'd give would _be_ honest. A few seconds of thought passed, then Steven cleared his own throat, deciding to start with broad terms and go from there.

"...good," he started simply, looking back out at the rain outside. The less he had to think about what he _should've_ answered, the better. "It was... really nice. I liked it. A lot."

Pearl hummed acknowledgement, then waited for Steven to continue. She seemed to see his difficulty with answering. Not much was given to help him, though.

"I mean, it felt... _different,_ " Steven added, now answering to himself more than Pearl. "But, like, in a good way. Sort of like, I'd be fine if she kissed me again. Y'know?"

He was still looking out at the darkened rain beyond his bedroom window, but out of the corner of his eye, Steven could see Pearl nod. The Gem appeared contemplative now. He didn't bother to look for any sign of ill-intent, though that appeared unnecessary. Regardless, Steven continued. "At first, I was surprised, but now I think it'd be comfortable, in a way. Kinda like..."

Steven paused, trying to find the right words and instead finding broader terms that did little to simplify things. With a sigh, he turned to directly face Pearl once again, and was a little surprised to find her relieved, almost grateful. Too much focus on the current topic was given to change so easily, though. Besides, Pearl still didn't make any effort to fill the blanks for Steven, leaving him to his own thoughts. Kind of appreciated, really. Unfortunately, finishing his statement was difficult without anything to accurately compare Amethyst's kiss to. Steven finished as best as he could, hoping Pearl would be as accepting of his lacking answers as he was (for the time being). A kiss from Amethyst probably deserved to be special by some degree.

"Well, I dunno like what," Steven breathed out, "but I'm... glad, that it happened."

For a few moments, Steven was unable to read Pearl's expression, though there wasn't a single trace of the hesitant severity she first had. All that her expression told was that she was thinking, and that was a given. Eventually, Pearl let out a relieved sigh, even chuckling a little. Steven didn't get the idea the she was _stressed_ before. The Gem put a content hand on Steven's shoulder.

"I'm happy to hear it," she told the boy, like she'd heard all she needed to. There was a bit more that Steven could have told her, such as Amethyst's drop from his arms or her intriguing silence following, but Pearl didn't seem interested in that. Hindsight told Steven that wasn't what Pearl was chiefly interested in. Whatever apprehension she earlier held about the conversation was gone, replaced by some form of relief that was difficult to interpret. Still, that was way better than her atypical shyness. Pearl rose from Steven's bed, nodding to herself and clearing her throat.

"Thank you for being honest, Steven," she said in her usual tone. On instinct, Steven granted the standard "You're welcome," though couldn't find much concrete reasoning to lie. He was definitely lacking in the "why" of things recently. Pearl strode back to the stairs of Steven's room, apologizing for keeping Steven up even later. He returned it with a casual wave, somewhat grateful that the Gem had come and talked to him. While he still didn't have everything known for certain, his new answers were much more tolerable at the moment. A small grin wedged itself on his face, and Steven moved to the head of his bed for some much needed rest. Just before he moved under his covers, Pearl turned to him once more, only her head visible above the floor.

"Steven?" she asked for his attention again. She was quiet for a moment. "Could you tell Amethyst that? What you just told me?"

Steven tilted his head, a little confused by her plea. He allowed himself his own brief couple of quiet seconds before nodding, trying not to think too much on how much he would actually be _able_ to divulge to his friend. With his agreement, Pearl smiled again, and left Steven to himself. Being alone let the exhaustion of the day finally catch up with him. With that slew of comforting thoughts in mind, Steven let himself drop completely onto his bed, shutting his eyes contently, hearing the lightened patter of rain outside let up a tad.

* * *

"Now which one," Amethyst muttered to herself, looking at the collection of puddles before her. It'd been a while since she had a reason to use the water pools for more than a relaxed swim. By now, she probably should've had an idea of which one went where and which ones didn't go _anywhere,_ but the collections of water appeared almost identical to each other. The most to make one stand out was the occasional glow coming from some room underneath the water. Still, with as many rooms in the temple as there were, Amethyst couldn't decide which puddle led to where she wanted to go at a glance.

Shrugging, Amethyst strode up to the closest collection of water, crunching an old newspaper underfoot. She took a deep breath before bending down and plunging her head under the water, hoping to see the orange glow of Garnet's aptly named burning room. Instead, she was given the ambient glow of some undefinable crystal that populated Amethyst's room. The next moment, Amethyst had the luxury of feeling water go straight up her nose. Technically, having her head submerged prevented her from swearing.

Amethyst quickly drew back from the water, hacking as much water out of her system as she could. Thankfully, no one was around to witness her small blunder, though it was still a little detrimental to her dignity. She gave herself another few moments, subconsciously noting how futile her earlier attempts to dry off were. In her defense, this hadn't been her plan at the time. Shaking her head, Amethyst moved on to the next puddle, making sure to plug her nose before dipping her head in. Though the glow coming from this one had been a more encouraging shade of red, the same colorful crystal met Amethyst's eyes.

What brief hope she had of this task being an easy one diminished, though Amethyst had much less trouble recovering from the water this time around. Having her lungs full of air probably helped. She quickly moved towards the third pool of water, hoping that the third time would be the charm. The seemed to be the case, as the murky image of the cavernous burning room was seen on the other side of the water as soon as she looked in. Garnet had stated her wish to seal this entryway into the room before, but Amethyst's procrastination proved more beneficial than usual. Nodding to herself, Amethyst let the rest of her fall into the water with an unceremonious drop. She was given only seconds to right herself before feeling her legs exit through the other end of the water, subsequently pulling the rest of her through in a matter of moments.

Not that the fall was too much of a distance, but Amethyst was still awarded more time to balance herself than she would've assumed. That extra time made it all the more embarrassing when she still didn't land quite right. Her boots had taken the brunt of the impact, though the angle forced her feet to give way for the rest of her with a loud _*thud*_.

"What is with my legs today," Amethyst groaned, rubbing her back. Maybe Garnet hadn't seen her less-than-graceful fall into her room. After rubbing away the small aches in her legs (or rather, getting accustomed to them), Amethyst looked about, trying to find the fusion while also trying to find what she would say to her. Neither was discovered quickly, the round room being as vacant as Amethyst's willingness to talk about the matter at hand. Even in the orange glow emanating from the room's center, no one else seemed to be around other than Amethyst.

Frowning, Amethyst placed her hands on the stony ground, thinking that Garnet wasn't usually one to hide. Surely she'd known that Amethyst had wanted (somewhat) to talk to her. The Gem was hesitant to call out for her, taking a few more moments of procrastination and walking a bit around the room. Feeling the heat from the room's center drew her towards it; the warmth was much more welcome than the chill water she'd soaked herself in. Amethyst raised her hands towards the warmth, glancing at the temple door some distance in front of her. Maybe this was a bad idea.

The notion didn't get very far in Amethyst's mind, as doing anything for Steven's sake could rarely be considered bad. She _had_ visited Garnet for some guidance, and she was going to get it. Or, at least, she'd attempt to. Getting that guidance would probably be difficult with no one to really talk to. Amethyst tore her eyes away from the door, reminding herself one final time that this was for Steven, not her. In a way.

"Garnet?" she eventually called out, unsure of where else the fusion could have been. All these years of knowing her, and yet she could never figure out where Garnet usually hung around. Then again, Amethyst never asked. She waited a bit before calling to Garnet again, leaning over the room's pool of lava and feeling the water in her clothes evaporate in seconds. That was _much_ better. Amethyst opened her mouth to call to Garnet again, then felt a lock of her hair spill over her shoulder from turning too quickly. The white strands quickly fell into the lava she was leaning over, and promptly caught on fire.

In about one half of a second, Amethyst backed away with a startled yelp that may or may not have been another curse word. She instantly began patting down the minor flare, feeling a bit _too_ warmed up for comfort. The Gem's reaction was quick enough that the fire hadn't taken too much of her hair, though it was considerably shorter than she tended to keep it. Considerably more burned than usual, too. Once again, Amethyst had the subconscious hope that Garnet wasn't in the room to witness her blunder. She wasn't sure how much more dignity she could afford to lose.

Amethyst checked over herself one final time out of paranoia, then backed away a bit further from the center of the room out of that same paranoia. Just before she could turn and call out to Garnet once again, she bumped into something, making the Gem whip around on instinct. The action had a noticeable lack of weight now. Garnet seemed to notice something along those lines, smirking down towards Amethyst with her arms conspicuously crossed.

"Nice look," she complimented flatly. "The fire was a good touch."

Surprised, Amethyst blinked, an errant thought telling her that she ought to get her eyes checked if she hadn't seen Garnet until now. The Gem backed away with another yelp, keeping the lava in mind, and pointed an accusing finger at the fusion after a hefty delay. Another delay was given before she had the idea to actually talk to Garnet now that she faced her.

" _You,_ " Amethyst intelligently seethed through her teeth, not sure what she was blaming Garnet for in the current context. Garnet didn't seem to have much indication either, shrugging her arms with a grin. The action was conspicuous enough to make Amethyst feel even dumber for somehow not noticing her presence before.

"Me," Garnet returned simply. She tilted her head, likely looking at Amethyst behind her sunglasses. That was the most she could identify, really; whatever expression the Gem had was impossible to tell. The mirror-like effect of her sunglasses didn't help. Seeing her directly _did_ help focus Amethyst's thoughts, though, and the Gem squinted her eyes at the fusion.

"You ought'a know why I'm here," she said, trying to have a more dignified pose accompany her words. Her aforementioned "new look" probably did little to make her case believable. After a few moments Garnet used to hopefully think on her words rather than Amethyst's unconventional haircut, she shrugged again.

"Probably," she said again. Concise as always. Garnet didn't say any more, which Amethyst had to reason as somewhat expected. She didn't really think that it would do much to give her guidance, though. Right now, being alone with Garnet allowed for a more esoteric conversation, so Amethyst decided to use the most of the moment.

"You _know._ " While Amethyst could have just as easily been talking about her motivation for talking to Garnet, the fusion could tell what she was discussing now. It _was_ one of the reasons she had bothered to talk to her. Still, she didn't appear guilty, beginning a slow stride past Amethyst with a confirming nod. The most she said in response to Amethyst's brief accusation was, "I do," and even that was given with as much impact as a thrown pillow.

Garnet being herself, she hadn't said much more, which was her way of prompting Amethyst to continue. While she did match Garnet's aimless pace, she was hesitant to talk of the matter out loud, as though that would solidify the fact. Reasoning that the fact was already solidified, Amethyst sighed, giving Garnet a bit more time to fill the quiet. Eventually, she did.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked as a genuine question. The authenticity of her inquiry caught Amethyst a little off guard, and she hardened her features out of instinct. Crossing her arms wasn't on instinct, but it probably helped get her point across.

"Why do you _know,_ first off," Amethyst asked back with an all-too noticeable lack of indignation in her voice. She sounded more annoyed than she'd wanted. Then again, her tone was truthful regardless. The obvious smirk returned to Garnet's features, and the fusion tapped her glasses in silence. Both Gems understood that was all she really needed to say to get _her_ point across.

"Plus," Garnet added before Amethyst could ask her follow-up question, "it's pretty obvious."

Instantly, Amethyst could feel her face heat up like she was leaning over the lava-pit once more. "No it's not!" she exclaimed a little louder than she had meant to, far too aware of the blood in her face. Garnet raised her hands in defense, seemingly trying to diffuse her answer. The brief chuckle didn't help. Instead, Garnet reinforced her answer, saying, "Yes, it is," with a smile that might've been good-natured. Amethyst was feeling too embarrassed to care either way. The Gem kept her forced glare on Garnet a little while longer, then eventually realized the futility of her effort.

"...I know," she breathed out in a disappointed sigh, dropping her eyes back towards the stony floor. Garnet stopped walking for a moment to pat her back, but the action wasn't as endearing as she probably meant for it to be. Amethyst shrugged off the contact and continued their purposeless walk. Garnet joined her, still looking at her in some way she was hesitant to recognize. If it was anything like their slow steps around the room, Amethyst could assume that her companion was attempting to put her at ease. She didn't really know how to feel about that.

Now with a lot more lamentation in her voice, Amethyst asked her follow-up question, not even bothering to sound angry (though she was a little irked). "Why'd you tell _Pearl,_ though?"

Garnet seemed visibly curious, tilting her head in response to Amethyst's exhausted voice. The Gem continued, looking anywhere but towards her. "She looks like she wants to shatter me. At least, it feels like it."

The usual smirk Garnet had worn was gone for a moment, replaced by a simultaneously piqued and contemplative expression. She waited a bit before answering again, though sounded more convinced than previously. "I don't believe that's her intent," she reasoned, trying to ease Amethyst again, "And she would've figured it out on her own."

While Pearl tended to be smart enough for that to be a possibility, Amethyst noticed Garnet tap her sunglasses once more, solidifying the fact. In response to her first statement, Amethyst snorted, chuckling nervously. "Yeah, right," she reasoned, finding her paranoia a bit more believable at the moment, "You seen her?"

Amethyst's statement hung in the air for a moment. Garnet turned to face her directly, saying that while she hadn't paid much mind to the Gem's features, Pearl didn't have much of a reason to be upset with Amethyst (in the current context). Though she sounded even firmer, Amethyst rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, G," she tried saying, "you ought'a know that she does." Amethyst had thought that Pearl's defensive response was second nature if Steven was concerned in any manner, and considering he was more than a little "concerned" with the matter at hand, Pearl had a fair amount of reasoning to look so distrustful of Amethyst. Honestly, she didn't blame her, given the potentially dire impact that could be found in telling Steven what she needed to. Pearl had seemed tolerable of Amethyst's feelings in private, but a paranoia the Gem found justified told her she was holding back to draw less attention from Steven. Amethyst probably would've done the same.

Again, Garnet denied the possibility of Pearl detesting Amethyst in any way, though hadn't stated much other than saying "No," again. She didn't give any specific reasoning about the situation quite yet, piquing Amethyst. She would've assumed a more logical approach than being stubborn. Being stubborn was usually how Amethyst won arguments, not Garnet. Another few quiet seconds passed when a thought occurred to Amethyst, and the Gem felt her eyes widen in realization.

"You want me to say why she should be angry," the Gem concluded with a shake of her head. Garnet didn't say anything in response, neutralizing her features completely. Without much indication, Amethyst was unaware if she'd correctly discerned Garnet's intent, though paranoia forced her to think she was right. However, Amethyst still didn't feel like talking about the matter directly.

"...what do you want me to say, Garnet?" she eventually admitted with an exasperated sigh. Her statement closely resembled Garnet's in strictly words, meaning Amethyst was more tolerable than questioning. Garnet continued looking at her with that neutral expression, pausing her walk for a moment. Another pause of feigned interest in the Gem bubbles populating the room was applied before Amethyst forced herself to speak up again. "It ain't my fault that I... y'know..."

A little emotion came back to Garnet's features, pulling her lips up slightly. "For once," she let out as she resumed the walk around the room, "I don't think I do."

"Ah, quit it," Amethyst waved off. Though, she did have to admit, the familiarity made things a tad easier to openly talk about. Plus, she had enough common sense to realize the prompt she was given. Garnet's attempts to ease her, while a little ambiguous, were still felt.

"...that I love him," Amethyst finally admitted. "There, I said it, okay?"

Like she just flipped a switch, the casual way Garnet had been treating the whole situation flooded her features, grin and all. She laughed, patting Amethyst's back again, though made an effort to not be _too_ endearing. Amethyst appreciated it. Considering the persistent warmth on her face, she appreciated anything that could justify and subsequently diminish it. Garnet proved to be enjoying the situation with far more triviality than anyone else as she nodded towards Amethyst, stating, "I love him, too."

Surprisingly, Garnet had managed to get a snort out of Amethyst that _wasn't_ filled to the brim with paranoid anxiety, though the Gem made an effort to avoid believing in that triviality herself. "Agh, don't do this to me, G," she groaned out with a light back-hand to Garnet's leg (she was a bit tall for a slug on the shoulder), "I'm probably gonna have to clear that up with Steven already."

Another chuckle fell out of Garnet's mouth. Amethyst would be lying if she said that the whole ordeal was as difficult to discuss as it had been a few moments ago, but that didn't devalue the importance of their discussion. She'd first come to Garnet for guidance, after all. Garnet turned towards her again, head tilted in curiosity. "So you _are_ going to tell him," she mused, placing a thoughtful hand on her chin.

Of all the things that were blatant without being said, Amethyst thought that was pretty high up on the list. Blinking, the Gem rose an eyebrow at Garnet.

"Uh, yeah," she hesitantly confirmed with a shrug. Talking to Steven about her feelings had to be one of the most common "futures" Garnet saw, so her acting otherwise was a bit out of the ordinary. "'Course I'm gonna tell him. What, like I could keep quiet about it forever?" Amethyst was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Don't think I _could,_ really."

"You could not," Garnet agreed, nodding. Her conviction told Amethyst that it _was_ literally impossible to keep Steven in the dark indefinitely. Not too big of a surprise, really; he was probably the one person she had the most difficulty lying to, which was ironic, considering how trustworthy and downright _gullible_ Steven could be at times. Garnet didn't say anything more, inciting Amethyst to continue with the topics that _she_ wanted to talk about. Initially mentioning them was difficult regardless.

"I... but..." Amethyst tentatively started, taking a moment to note that the "guidance" she'd come looking for had been more like therapy. Still better than nothing, so Amethyst didn't complain too much. After a sigh, Amethyst worked up the nerve to ask what she was dreading to know the answer to. "Can you tell if things'll be alright? After I tell him?"

If she hadn't been looking at Garnet's expression with as much hope as she had, Amethyst might've chastised her quiet voice. The ambient bubbling of the lava in the center of the room almost won out over her words. Garnet pondered for a moment, hopefully using that aptly named "future vision" of her's and checking the state of things herself. The delay was agonizing whether it lasted a few seconds or a few minutes. Then, Garnet turned towards Amethyst, shaking her head.

A larger bubble popping in the center of the room recreated the noise of Amethyst's heart falling into her stomach rather well.

Within a few moments, Garnet raised her hands, seeing the visible distress on Amethyst's features. "No, it's not like that," she clarified urgently. Garnet cleared her throat as Amethyst's last shred of hope lingered on a little longer. "I'm unable to 'see', but we both know that things will be alright."

Amethyst would've been skeptical of Garnet's optimism even if she _hadn't_ been so recently mislead to think otherwise. As such, Amethyst rolled her eyes again, veritably feeling the cynicism in her voice. "I mean, you might," she let out with a depressed sigh, "but I sure as heck don't."

Garnet seemed visibly surprised by Amethyst's depressing answer, inquiring about it just a second after she finished talking. "Why not?" she questioned in a more curious tone than usual. It almost distracted Amethyst from noticing how futile her initial question was. The Gem shrugged, feeling a familiar frustration on her face.

"Why're you surprised," she breathed out with a sigh. Amethyst looked up at the bubbles above her rather than her companion. "It ain't like it's _right._ "

"Why is it not?" Garnet almost cut off her words, sounding borderline angry. Whatever casual approach she had towards Amethyst's feelings was gone, replaced by her subtle version of indignation. Startled herself, Amethyst's eyes widened a little, the Gem taking a small step back in defense. The earlier ease Garnet had about discussing the "problem" had implied that Amethyst was free from getting reprimanded, though now, she had her doubts.

"W-well," Amethyst uncertainly began, her voice quieted by Garnet's, "for starters, I got just a little bit of years over Steven."

Before Garnet could interject, Amethyst tried reasoning as best as she could understand the situation. "I get it, you're all for love, G, but here on Earth..."

Amethyst sighed, pausing for a second. She could almost _feel_ Garnet's want to argue back. "That thing ain't right. I'm _way_ older than him."

Garnet was quiet for a moment, which was somehow more disconcerting than the Gem yelling at Amethyst. As if about to give some grand speech, the fusion cleared her throat. "Rose was thousands of years older than Greg," she reasoned, losing the umbrage in her voice. Her tone was made more persuasive as an effect, but Amethyst still wasn't convinced. She _did_ consider this fact for a moment, though. As far as she could recall, their age wasn't usually something that they'd discussed.

"But that's... different," Amethyst reminded herself, feeling her eyebrows meet. Her answer still felt a tad weaker than she hoped it'd be. "'Cause they're both, y'know, _adults._ Steven's..."

"Steven is older than Pearl or I give him credit for," Garnet quickly returned again. She didn't cut Amethyst off this time, either, though the few fractions of seconds were getting shorter and shorter with each exchange. Surprised, Amethyst tilted her head towards Garnet, who continued with a more comforting smile. Subtle, but there. "I can recall your frustration at our lack of attention from the mission."

Amethyst blinked for a moment. Maybe she should wear tinfoil hats more often. Shaking her head, Amethyst opened her mouth to further her reasoning, but Garnet beat her to it.

"Amethyst, be honest," she told the Gem in a more comforting tone (endearing was a word that came to mind, but Amethyst didn't currently mind), "do you really think Steven's all that young?"

Not that she wanted to, but Amethyst considered the idea for a moment despite the reflexive dismissal she should've given in response. While the idea of age had gotten skewed after living for millennia, Amethyst did understand that fourteen was at least _some_ degree of experience. Obviously, the Gem could understand that it was still on the young side of the human spectrum, especially compared to numbers that had twice as many digits. However, Amethyst could also understand that Steven could be more mature when he needed to be. Not that the fact really excused Amethyst from feeling a bit off.

"Well..." she uncertainly began, trying to word her answer honestly and also to justify the feeling of wrongness she probably should've felt, "maybe Steven's not a _kid,_ exactly, but still-"

"And," Garnet interrupted, seemingly on purpose. Calling her timing fortunate was pushing Amethyst's luck. "Do you consider yourself to be a proper 'adult'?"

The inclusion of the word "proper" made Amethyst's automatic answer simpler, though she was still hesitant to give it, understanding what that would imply. Amethyst thought on her answer again, giving it more contemplation than she likely should have given. Between Garnet, Pearl, and herself, it was obvious that Amethyst was usually lacking in the maturity department, but that didn't necessarily mean she wasn't an adult, did it? Unable to tell herself, Amethyst answered Garnet's inquiry with one of her own.

"Maybe not a _total_ adult," she admitted, "but shouldn't I be? You and Pearl always get on my case for not actin' like a real Crystal Gem and being a bad example for Steven."

Garnet nodded, smiling much more earnestly than before. Paired with the calmer tone of her voice, Amethyst did get some degree of optimism from her. Not an impressive amount, but an amount nonetheless. "True," she granted before clarifying further, "Pearl calls you a bad example, but it's more along the lines of being a poor influence." Garnet seemed to ponder for a moment, glancing towards the center of the room. "Would you be insulted if I said you weren't much of an adult?"

Amethyst felt a smirk pull her lips upwards, the Gem rolling her eyes. "Honestly, not really," she shrugged with a sigh. "But... still..."

Hearing the persistent distress in Amethyst's voice, Garnet crouched down a little, placing a hand on her shoulder. If that didn't solidify how bad Amethyst was at being a real adult by human standards, she didn't know what would. "Amethyst," the Gem breathed out, trying to ease her, "what do you consider yourself to be to Steven?"

The authenticity of Garnet's question caught Amethyst off guard, though the specific wording of it counteracted her surprise. For all she knew, Garnet had figured out what Amethyst had equated herself to earlier, which wouldn't be too surprising at this point. After a few quiet moments, Amethyst sighed again, answering truthfully. "A friend."

Garnet's smile returned at her words, like she finally got through to her companion. She did, a little. "And what do you think Steven considers you to be, more than anything else?"

Given the theme that Garnet was conveying, finding the answer to her question was rather easy. Even if Amethyst was asked that out of the middle of the day, though, she thought she could give an equally correct and similar one. "A..." she began anyways, if only out of courtesy, "...a friend."

Like Amethyst would've expected, Garnet nodded, either giving her approval or agreeing with her. She didn't say anything else as she rose back up to a standing position, and both Gems understood that not much more needed to be said. Amethyst looked down for a moment, wondering if her feelings towards Steven were really as simple as Garnet had made them out to be. Maybe it wouldn't last forever, but at the moment, Amethyst was convinced. She subsequently gained a lot more confidence in talking to Steven; at the very least, she knew what she wanted to tell him. As for exactly _how_ to tell him, though...

"Hey, wait, Garnet," Amethyst called to her companion. She began walking away as soon as Amethyst was left to ponder her own words, meaning the Gem had to jog a short distance to reach her. Who knew how many times they'd circled the room during their conversation. Garnet looked back down, piqued. Amethyst noted how her hair was still burned short when she saw her reflection off Garnet's sunglasses, but didn't pay that much mind for now.

"How do I, uh..." she started uncertainly, wringing her hands. As comfortable as Amethyst now felt about the topic of her better-than-best friend (comparably, at least), she still couldn't envision bringing it up so easily. "...I mean, I know what to say, but... how do I say it?"

Garnet contemplated her question for a moment, appearing genuinely thoughtful. It was a welcome change of pace from the jokingly dismissive nature she first had. After a few quiet seconds, Garnet nodded towards the temple door, bringing Amethyst's attention to it.

"Trust me," she confidently stated, "you'll know. And I think Steven could use a friend right now."

Lackluster as her answer might've been, Amethyst was far more worried at Garnet's second statement. "What?" she questioned back in the same second, having a reflexively dire tone. Though Garnet still sounded like her usually casual self, her voice did little to devalue the severity Amethyst had heard. "Is he okay? What's wrong?"

Garnet simply nodded towards the door again, not bothering to explain herself. According to the fusion, Amethyst had more important things to worry about, and the Gem only let herself complain _as_ she jogged towards the burning room's exit. A usual frown was felt on her features as she made to open it.

"Jeez, Garnet," she exclaimed in disapproval, "you could'a told me that earlier!"

Silence met her complaint, and a sideways glance only let Amethyst see a small smirk as she crossed through the temple gate.

* * *

 **A/N:** So yeah, this chapter has a lot of dialogue. Initially, I fretted about quality and making too many mistakes and whatnot, but was assured that the quality was fine.

WHOA HEY WAIT A MINUTE, the next chapter is the last one! You _gotta_ finish it now, you're so close! C'mon! I'll race you there!


	10. Vicissitude, I

**A/N:** So, uh, this is it, the final part to this tale. As much as I would've loved to leave on such a clean number of chapters, this last part turned out to be EXCESSIVELY long, to the point where I couldn't even bring myself to read it all in one sitting. As a result, I broke it down, albeit at a more inopportune moment. I tried splitting it as cleanly as possible, though I know it's a bit abrupt. I love large chapters as much as the next guy, but 15K words just seems unnecessary to leave in one chapter. So, I suppose I'll see you in the next one? Keep in mind that this last part is best read in one sitting despite being in two parts, so if you mean to set aside time to read this (a notion I'd be more than flattered by) make sure to account for the last chapter, too. I won't keep you further, so read on! Have a good one.

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _X: Vicissitude, Part I_

Without much active thought, the temple doors opened before Amethyst, allowing her to step through in moments. If she wasn't shaking her head in disbelief of Garnet's smirk, she might've noted how the pace of the doors was about as fast as it was when she first entered her room. The thought of what Amethyst exactly left on _did_ cause her to hesitate, though only for a second or two. She was more worried about the _current_ state of her better-than-best friend. Rather than take the stairs of his room, Amethyst jogged to the couch underneath it before leaping upwards towards the room's edge. Her foot kicked the wall a little harder than intended as she scrambled up onto the floor, but that'd later be blamed on the darkness of the house as opposed to her worry.

Amethyst's jog promptly continued, nearly turning into a sprint to cover the last couple of feet towards Steven's bedside. The young Gem was found resting on his side, eyes closed like he was sleeping instead of having some stressful tribulation. Amethyst looked at him for a considerable amount of time before realizing that he _was_ sleeping. Despite what Garnet had implied with her concise words, Steven appeared to be napping contently, snoring just a little louder than the rain outside. No nightmare-induced spasms or asphyxiation from Lion using his face as a pillow. Still, Amethyst's frown persisted. Surely Garnet had sent her towards Steven for a reason, right? Maybe he had a problem earlier, before Amethyst had gotten to him.

For a few moments, Amethyst kept her eyes on Steven, trying to discern what was troubling him (or, at least, if he _was_ troubled by anything). Garnet's words, Amethyst soon figured out, weren't nearly as dire as she had interpreted them to be. The fusion wouldn't have implied Steven was in trouble to get rid of Amethyst, but she _would_ in order to get Amethyst to him. If she hadn't been so worried in the first place, Amethyst might've approved of Garnet's technique. She also might've approved if she knew what she was supposed to do now that she was so close to him, but not a whole lot came to mind. As a result, Amethyst sighed, looking at her friend with a troubled frown. Who knew _what_ she was supposed to do; he wasn't exactly one for conversation at the moment, and waking him up wouldn't really put him in the right mood for talking, either.

With a shake of her head, Amethyst turned around to forget about Garnet's worrisome words. She was just being mysteriously endearing, like usual. That much could safely be ignored. Finally resting seemed like a welcome idea to Amethyst, anyways, so she took a few steps toward the stairs. There wasn't a whole lot that could've been done with Steven asleep. Besides, just a little more time to properly prepare couldn't have hurt. A nap seemed entirely deserved either way. A lot of reasons came to Amethyst's mind for just retiring to her room for the night, but something kept her foot hovering over the first step of the stairs.

 _"Or..."_ Amethyst thought with a groan of realization, _"someone."_

The only thing that prevented her from groaning out loud was the possibility of waking Steven up. She hesitated, tapping her fingers on the wall next to her, glancing at Steven. As many reasons as Amethyst had for going to her room and forgetting about her buddy for the time being, seeing him rest kept her from going anywhere besides his bedside. Tentatively, she took a few steps back, trying not to look too intently at Steven as she did so. The Gem took extra care to skirt around the odds and ends sitting on Steven's nightstand, more than a few hanging loosely on the edge. It was almost impossible not to notice one of Steven's many photos while moving around the nightstand, causing Amethyst to halt for a moment. Even in the dim light offered from outside, the image stood out as if it was on fire; surprisingly, Amethyst's own smirk wasn't the part that was so easily noticeable. Instinctively, Amethyst grinned like she had in the picture, feeling her muscles relax a little.

After a quick turn back towards Steven and another couple of steps, Amethyst found herself standing above her friend like she had been when she first came to his room. Unlike the first time, however, she was far from worried. Maybe a little hesitant, though. Chalk that up to consistency. She glanced towards the window Steven was facing, thinking that the rain's intensity showed no signs of letting up. Another bout of pattering droplets passed, and Amethyst moved herself to the bed's edge, taking care not to disturb it too quickly. She kicked off her boots as she sat, only making sure that they landed on the floor somewhat quietly.

Aside from the comfort of having her toes freed, Amethyst was still a bit wary. She took a nonchalant look around Steven's room, finding it messier than usual. He had seemed to take after in that regard, which she was somewhat proud about. Eventually, Amethyst let her eyes fall back on Steven, seeing his chest move slowly with his breaths. A thin line of drool trailed from his mouth to the pillow under his head, which seemed to represent his boyish nature rather well. On impulse, Amethyst shifted herself closer to Steven before carefully reaching a hand towards his face. It took a few more seconds than necessary, but after a braced breath, Amethyst let her hand complete the journey to her friend's face, gently grasping his cheek. He didn't show any kind of reaction right away.

Absentmindedly, Amethyst's thumb caressed over Steven, which she would've said was unintended. Still, Steven didn't appear to mind too much, if the slight smile on his features was anything to go by. Amethyst felt a similar grin on her own face not too long after. By now, she should've been used to the effect, but she honestly wasn't. That was fine with her.

Suddenly, Steven shifted a tad, causing Amethyst's hand to jolt away out of panic. The boy rubbed his head into his pillow, seemingly trying to get more comfortable while still asleep. Amethyst held her breath as she watched, preparing to shift into a cat and scamper away if she needed to. After pulling his blanket up a little closer to him, Steven came to a rest once again. Amethyst returned her hand to her side once she made sure he was still unaware of her presence, but she allowed herself to stay on the edge of his bed for a little while longer. Even if he was asleep, his presence did put her thoughts at ease.

Though she had discussed it with Garnet, Amethyst still wasn't entirely comfortable calling Steven a "crush", however accurate the term might've been. She wished she could say that it was a passing phase. That would probably make the near future less worrisome. Unfortunately, Amethyst knew herself well enough to know that she wasn't the kind of person to have temporary phases (at least, not ones that were seriously regarded). The fact that her feelings were due to Steven's character made the notion more than concrete, as Steven wasn't one to change much, either. It didn't make much sense to think that he'd suddenly become a less caring person overnight. If anything, his care for others seemed to _increase_ on a daily basis. Though, maybe that was just Amethyst becoming more aware.

Rubbing her face out of exasperation, Amethyst sighed, relaxing a tad. A sideways glance let her know that Steven was still snoring contently, so she risked a further lean backwards, nearly lying where Steven's legs would've been, had they been outstretched. Amethyst had to wonder how things _would_ be after she'd told Steven of her intentions from the mission, though she didn't ponder happily. Some grand reciprocation wasn't exactly expected from Steven, for a multitude of reasons. He didn't seem to understand the line between being friendly and romantic (granted, Amethyst's lackluster attempt at "romance" was more indulgence and the occasional slip-up) when he was so used to the former. Maybe he wasn't even interested in that kind of thing; at the very least, he didn't make any attempt to _improve_ upon his existing relationships.

A few seconds after this thought, Amethyst noticed she was frowning again. It had seemed like a fitting reaction to her self-inflicted trouble. On the off-chance that Steven even understood the _why_ of Amethyst's feelings, she still had to deal with the effects whether he could be comfortable with them or not. She just couldn't imagine herself being all that normal in his presence after telling him; ironically, she could tell from experience that she hadn't exactly acted normal _before_ she would tell him. With Amethyst's luck, the topic would be brought up every other day regardless of how much of an effort either Gem made to keep quiet about it.

The matter wasn't really one to be so easily forgotten, too. Who knew what everyone else would say. That didn't really sound like a fun conversation to have with Greg; the implications were too bizarre to give much voluntary thought. Heck, Steven would probably have a hard time talking about something so awkward even to that Connie girl. Hilarious as her reaction might've been, the current context added so many complications that Amethyst could only force another groan of frustration towards the ceiling.

Just after her unceremonious vent, a sudden flash of white lit up the whole of Steven's room, followed by the loud _*CRACK!*_ of distant thunder. Amethyst jolted back up to a sitting position, battle-instincts kicking in and forcing her grasp on Steven's blanket to tighten. Shaken from her thoughts, the Gem quickly whipped her head towards Steven, expecting him to be sitting upright like she was. Instead, he shifted a little more, like the thunder had simply shaken the comfort from his position. There was more of a frown on his face than usual, though, causing Amethyst to lean a little towards him out of concern.

He still seemed asleep, but according to the grimace on his features, he wasn't completely fine, either. Amethyst tilted her head, inspecting the boy's expression a tad closer. The blanket he was gripping was stretched tight, pulled closer to his chest as if to offer some security. It didn't seem to have much of an effect. The sudden boom from the sky appeared to change Steven's dream to a disconcerting nightmare, the bed subtly creaking from his quiet shakes. Disconcerted herself, Amethyst scooted a tad closer, placing a gentle hand on Steven's shoulder.

"Steven," she whispered quietly before she could stop herself. She moved him a little, trying to shake him awake as she leaned over him. "Hey, Steven. Just a bad dream, man. Wake up."

Although her words had been increasing in volume, Steven showed no signs of waking up, stuck in whatever nightmare plagued him. It wasn't the most comforting of sights, especially in Amethyst's case. The Gem moved closer still, bringing both her legs over the bed's threshold and subsequently near Steven's. " _Steven,_ " she tried again with a firmer shake, placing her other hand on his. "Wake up, man. You're havin' a nightmare. _Steven._ "

Finally, the volume of Amethyst's words jolted her friend awake. He opened his eyes suddenly, throwing them around for a couple moments as he left whatever tribulation his mind had made for him. Seemingly out of panic, he rushed out a few quickened breaths as his eyes eventually found Amethyst's. Another couple of moments passed as he blinked away the rest of his dream, trying to recognize the worried face before him. He looked around a little before breathing a more comforting sigh of relief.

"Amethyst," he let out as a form of greetings. The Gem's clutch relaxed, though she didn't remember tightening it in the first place. Noticing he was fine pleased Amethyst enough for her to crack a smile. She returned her name with a silent nod, shrugging a little. She didn't move much otherwise. Other than saying Amethyst's name, Steven was silent, relaxing from his brief struggle with a relieved smile. Amethyst had reciprocated it rather easily, thinking that the anxiety about her presence being known could be momentarily ignored. It'd seemed that Garnet had some justification for her words after all (which Amethyst didn't quite want to admit to).

A small brush of contact moved Amethyst's appreciative gaze towards her hand. Her eyebrows elevated a little when she noticed Steven had moved his hand around her's as opposed to the opposite, gripping it like he was holding onto the blanket a few moments ago. Whether voluntarily or not, Amethyst had to take an internal note of his grasp being more than comforting despite the Gem not needing comfort at the moment. Comforting as that was, however, the grip only caused Amethyst to notice how unnecessarily close she had gotten to Steven in waking him up. She was nearly pushing him out the window.

Briskly, Amethyst removed her grasp, hoping her speed would rid the need of saying anything about it. It was a little awkward to forget where to put her hands for a couple moments, but they eventually found their spots near her side. Steven tilted his head questioningly, but didn't say much. Out of paranoia, Amethyst moved a hand upwards to sweep her hair behind her ear, then remembered that she didn't have much hair to sweep, making the action take much less time than anticipated. Eventually, the Gem found her voice.

"Sor-" was all she got out before she bit her tongue. Remembering she didn't have much to apologize for (as far as Steven knew) was a little difficult. "I mean, uh... you okay?"

Steven's odd look persisted for a few seconds. Thankfully, he seemed too polite to mention anything about Amethyst's sudden aversion to his contact. The boy gave her a hesitant nod, then added a bit more enthusiasm when he noticed Amethyst's careful expression. She was _really_ close to him, actually. Too close.

"Yeah," Steven assured Amethyst with a brisk shake of his head. Despite being properly puzzled, he still managed to give her a genuine smile, which she would've openly acknowledged if she wasn't trying to slowly move to a more normal distance from him. Amethyst soon gave up on her efforts to hum approval, giving her friend an encouraging nod. Steven continued, pretending not to notice Amethyst's slight movements. "I'm fine now."

A brief period of quiet passed. Being wholly aware of Steven's proximity finally persuaded Amethyst to ignore her paranoia for the time being, the Gem thinking that much wasn't even that relevant at the moment. _"Just think of him like you did before,"_ she forcibly reminded herself, _"Just a real good friend, nothin' else. That's what_ he's _thinking."_

"So, you have a bit of a nightmare there, huh?" Amethyst offered, reverting to her usual casualness with little difficulty. Having something so normal to talk about certainly helped ease her thoughts; at the very least, it helped her ignore them. Fortunately for Amethyst, Steven had followed her example and ignored the initial awkwardness that she so obviously had a second ago. He nodded, reaching up a hand to rub the back of his neck.

"Yeah," he admitted, sounding a little guilty. On instinct, Amethyst rose an eyebrow, frowning out of concern. Steven didn't elaborate any more, letting the rain outside fill the quiet. Given his affinity for talking about things like dreams, more so in Amethyst's case, his silence was somewhat disconcerting. The topic couldn't have been any more awkward than what Amethyst could've discussed, so she leaned a bit closer, tilting her head as a silent question. She was given a silent answer as Steven shrugged dismissal. Not the most satisfying of answers.

"Do you... wanna talk about it?" Amethyst gradually inquired. Obviously, she _did_ want to comfort him, but doing that would be a little difficult if she had nothing to go off of. Her own thoughts being less than ideal at the moment, Amethyst hoped that Steven would give her something to work with. The most he had given so far was his normal indifference about her proximity, and that was one of the things better left unspoken about, for obvious reasons. Steven, mulling over something in his head, opened his mouth to answer.

"You were there," he told Amethyst plainly, matching her quiet tone. He didn't quite meet Amethyst's eyes, either out of guilt or embarrassment. Maybe both, but in the darkness of his room, Amethyst wasn't about to assume. While initially surprised about her inclusion in a stressful dream of his, Amethyst tilted her head in curiosity. Again, Steven didn't elaborate any more, and it was getting easier to see that he didn't exactly want to, for whatever reason. Amethyst pushed further regardless.

"There... how?"

Amethyst briefly noted the persistent quiet of her voice as she glanced outside, biting her lip. Neither helping nor comforting were included on her short list of strong suits, but doing otherwise would've been borderline impossible in Steven's case. Something as intrinsic as her care for him was only amplified in light of recent events. Steven didn't answer right away, following Amethyst's gaze outside and looking at the storm himself. Sensing his unease, Amethyst looked back at him, mustering a patient smile despite him being unable to see as much. "Was I trying to eat you or something?"

Thankfully, Amethyst's attempt at humor had worked to some degree, causing Steven to look back at her abruptly. His usual grin finally returned to his face, albeit subtly. For lack of inconsistency, it was still a pleasing sight. Steven waved dismissal with a light chuckle, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

"No, nothing like that," he returned honestly. Though Amethyst had expected as much, it was progress now that he was talking. This helping thing was a whole lot easier when she _didn't_ think too much about it, weirdly enough. The small bit of humor Amethyst incited faded over the next couple of seconds as Steven returned to the nightmare he was so glad to be taken from. "But... you were there. And... not in a good way."

Nodding, Amethyst hummed, having a small idea of what his nightmare had consisted of. Less being presumptuous, more knowing about Steven's character. He seemed hesitant to damper the mood further, explaining slowly. "We were at the fountain again, you and me. Your Gem was still cut, and you didn't... y'know, look so good."

Amethyst wasn't given much more information right away. She frowned in concern, not bothering to note how Steven's nightmare involved her being harmed. Not bothering to note that much voluntarily, at least. Flattering (and unsurprising) as it was, Amethyst moved a little closer to Steven, placing a hand back on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring couple of pats. He seemed to thank her without saying a word.

"It was like when you first got cut," he breathed out. Amethyst's contact seemed to give him enough confidence to continue, so she kept a hand on his shoulder. Feeling him relax a tad was made that much easier. "You weren't really moving, and you were really pale, and..."

"...a-anyways," Steven suddenly waved after a disconcerting pause. Amethyst didn't feel the need to mention it, though she had moved her other hand to his during the quiet. Barely, she could feel her light grasp reciprocated. "So I tried to heal you, like before. Only, this time, it... didn't really work. I couldn't even heal your face. And... you..."

He trailed off, still not having the courage to say more. Amethyst didn't push this time. Simultaneously touched and worried by Steven's worry, she felt a concerned frown bring her eyebrows together. "But you could," she encouraged him, trying for a reassuring smile as opposed to a curious expression. "And _did,_ by the way. I'm fine now, see?"

To emphasize her point, Amethyst tapped both her nose and her Gem, indicating that they'd both been restored to pristine condition. Steven nodded with a smile of his own, but for once, his grin seemed almost saddened. It wasn't the most comforting thing to Amethyst, and she kept her hand on his shoulder just a tad longer.

"I know," Steven eventually breathed out, moving his eyes outside again. He seemed almost ashamed of his paranoia, though Amethyst didn't have much of an idea on how to tell him he shouldn't have been. It seemed so obvious that saying it felt almost unnecessary. Thinking to mention it regardless, Amethyst opened her mouth to rid him of his guilt. A sudden weight halted her vocal cords before she could even get them moving. Out of surprise, Amethyst's eyes widened as she glanced at Steven, looking at his abrupt lean against her. He still didn't quite look at her, but his slack trust on her might as well have been a hug for all Amethyst had felt from it. A slight heat warmed her face a little.

She had no choice but to accept his lean, hesitantly moving her hand around to his other shoulder. He didn't seem to think much of either his or her small action; Amethyst couldn't say the same, a slew of thoughts returning to her mind, most of which consisting of _her_ persistent "problem". Steven eventually continued speaking, forcing her to forget about her own thoughts once more. It wasn't nearly as easy this time around, but she liked to think she had eventually accomplished as much.

"I just get... worried," Steven said, relaxing a little bit more on Amethyst. "I mean, I healed your nose, but I couldn't heal your Gem. That was because of Rose."

Amethyst tilted her head a little into his, allowing her friend to talk uninterrupted. She understood this part of his concern like the back of her hand. "So... what if my spit doesn't work when it's supposed to? What if we're on a mission, and you, your Gem gets hurt, and I can't..."

" _Whoa,_ Steven, hey," Amethyst quickly tried easing him, tightening her grasp around him on instinct. She nearly hugged him, which might've been more-or-less her intent for all she knew. "Don't go thinkin' like that. I can _guarantee_ that you'll be able to heal me if you need to. You're a _Crystal Gem,_ remember? Even better, you're _Steven_."

For some time, Steven didn't meet Amethyst's words, simply sitting in silence as she kept her arm around him. Though unable to see much of his face, Amethyst could veritably feel the troubled doubt emanating from it. Barely any of that doubt seemed lifted.

"I know I am," he eventually said, quieter than before. A little more of his weight leaned on Amethyst, though she was much more braced to take it than she was a couple moments ago. She continued listening to her friend, gently rubbing his arm. "But, on this mission, I _didn't_ heal you. You... your Gem was still scratched."

A brief couple of seconds passed as Amethyst mulled over her words. "Hey," she decided to respond on impulse, "this mission was a weird one." Considering the odd target and where it was, the latest mission certainly strayed from the norm. However, Amethyst felt like her answer was more out of support than justification. The rare conviction in her voice had an authenticity she reserved for a select few; Steven, obviously, was included in that few. "Take it from me, that sure as heck wasn't the usual stuff. And besides, you still healed my face, remember?"

Amethyst could feel Steven give a small nod in response, as though reminded of how much he had accomplished. Tentatively, she brought her other arm to his shoulder in a careful embrace, shushing her awkward doubts for the moment. Steven had accepted it without much complaint, moving his own arms to reciprocate Amethyst. His head nearly nuzzled into the crook of her neck, expanding her supportive grin a little bit further.

"Far as I'm concerned," Amethyst said a tad easier than before, "you _did_ heal my Gem, by the way. 'Member how the cut on my nose got worse?" For a moment, Steven seemed to ponder this, and his doubt seemed momentarily lifted. Even if she wasn't so close to him, Amethyst would've been able to feel his features relax from a mile away. "I wanna think you stopped my Gem from gettin' any worse. That makes sense, right? So, there."

The end of Amethyst's statement sounded like she was arguing with Steven, and as an effect, he laughed lightly. "Yeah, that makes sense," Steven agreed with a sigh. He directed his gaze back outside, allowing the rest of his tenseness to loosen back up. Amethyst wholeheartedly accepted his relaxation, feeling like she was readier to support his lean despite not moving at all. That had made sense somehow, too. The Gem looked outside along Steven with a small smile, feeling her own stiffened muscles relax. They sat like that for a while, half-consciously watching the heavy rain outside. Oddly, it felt almost peaceful. Eventually, Steven sighed, continuing tiredly.

"Thanks, Amethyst," he told the Gem rather vaguely, "I kept telling myself that, too." A little puzzled, Amethyst tilted her head, though didn't ask much. The matter didn't seem as dire as it was a moment ago, so she refused to treat it as such. "Y'know, I keep thinking that I figured all this out, and then-"

Abruptly, Steven halted, like all his muscles had spontaneously locked up at once. The rapid return of his brace incited Amethyst to drop her embrace, though it did persist for a couple moments longer than intended. She couldn't exactly back away from Steven to see his face better, as she was currently sitting up for the both of them, but he pulled away after a brief pause. His eyebrows raised in surprise, like he just remembered to take the pizza out of the oven ten minutes too late. The drastic change of tone caused Amethyst's eyes to widen, and she stared at Steven, wondering what was wrong. She had comforted him successfully, right? Just as Amethyst began to question what the look on his face was for, he opened his mouth.

"What happened to your hair?" he asked, perplexed.

The question seemingly out of the blue, Amethyst blinked, wondering why _that_ of all things denoted a sudden inspection. Half-consciously, she brought up a free hand to her hair to potentially see what Steven was talking about. Then she remembered where she had been before being sent to Steven's room when a couple burned locks met her fingers. Steven looked at her hair oddly, like it was a fashion statement he was hesitant to accept. Broken from the agreeable serenity, Amethyst shook her head, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Right," she cautiously began with a nod, a bit of an embarrassed blush spreading over her cheeks. Her earlier loss of dignity was a lot more bearable when only Garnet knew of it, so relaying why she had received such an unconventional haircut wasn't something she really fancied. Not that she could've lied to Steven, though. "There was a little, uh, _lava_ problem. I was talking to Garnet."

Given the contents of the fusion's room, Amethyst didn't think she had to say more. Steven seemed smart enough to not ask about the exact context Amethyst had left unspoken. He leaned closer with an enlightened "Oh," inspecting her hair more attentively than before. If she wasn't already a tad uncomfortable upon noticing Steven's initial proximity, Amethyst might've tried shying away from his curiosity. He looked almost incredulous that Amethyst was able to have short hair, leaning around her in disbelief. Her hair couldn't have been _that_ shortened, could it? Now worried, Amethyst brought her other hand to her locks, feeling the majority of its ends just a little above her shoulders. Her hair seemed almost warm.

Hesitantly, Steven brought his own hand up to feel her hair himself. Amethyst might've mentioned something about him overstepping his boundaries if she wasn't as unnecessarily indifferent to his touch as she was. He didn't seem to think it was too weird, so it probably wasn't, anyways. Still, the blood in her cheeks left Amethyst skeptical. "Were you, uh, talking about the 'problem'?" Steven asked in a muted tone, returning to face Amethyst directly.

His accuracy was somewhat startling to Amethyst, but she had to recall that there wasn't a whole lot that she'd have to discuss with Garnet besides that. Returning to any semblance of a normal topic still seemed a bit far off in the future. After going over exactly what Steven did and didn't know, Amethyst nodded, not wanting to say much. Right here, alone in his room in the middle of the night, she didn't trust what she would say if she did talk. That felt justified, especially with his soft touch about on her cheek. The effect of his hand was nearly intoxicating.

Steven made no effort to inquire further, mimicking Amethyst's nod. As usual, his respect for her privacy was as much appreciated as it was astounding to her. Ironically, that almost made Amethyst try for a kind of confession in that same moment, but she bit her tongue, thinking that now wasn't the time. She could afford to wait a while. Still, the idea lingered, whether Amethyst wanted it to or not. Steven's contact hadn't helped. A thought seemed to occur to him, and he gave Amethyst a curious expression, pursing his lips.

"Can I... try something?" he asked slowly, still quiet. With the intense patter of rain outside, hearing him was almost impossible, though Amethyst mumbled affirmation on instinct. His touch was getting almost _too_ comfortable, to the point that Amethyst only noted her airy agreement a couple moments after hearing it. After her realization, Amethyst shook her head, clearing her throat.

"Sure," she tried saying in a more usual tone. It couldn't have been too convincing, though Steven's curiosity seemed unchanged. "What'd you, uh, have in mind?"

A small hum from her friend brought Amethyst a little further out of her absentminded state. "Just... figuring something out," Steven ambiguously answered, mumbling just like Amethyst had. He tilted his head slightly, as if looking past Amethyst at the open air behind her head. It didn't exactly calm her rising nerves. Just as she began to get a little self-conscious, Steven leaned in a bit closer to Amethyst's side, apparently not caring that they were already plenty close in the first place. On instinct, Amethyst didn't move, hesitant to ask for a more specific answer on what Steven was attempting to accomplish. All he had accomplished so far was darkening her face a couple shades. Then, as if to push that effort further, a light kiss was felt around the back of her head, a ways past her jaw.

If she wasn't already stilled by Steven's closeness, Amethyst might've frozen at his gentle action. Her thoughts were about as immobile as her body. Slowly, Steven returned to Amethyst's front, though his eyes were still inspecting something around her head. Amethyst felt her eyes follow him more than she actually watched his movements, not offering anything for a considerable length of time. Unconsciously, she found her looming talk with Steven more important by a factor of at least ten.

"...you, uh," she uncertainly began, a nervous smirk spreading across her face, "you wanna tell me what that's about?"

Steven paid no attention to her expression (which she was honestly thankful for), not returning her incredulous stare (which she was _really_ thankful for). The boy's own features appeared curious for a couple seconds longer before melting into a frustrated expression. He mumbled something incoherent while an odd rosiness filled his cheeks, like he just realized how out-of-the-blue he'd just been. Before he could give any justification, though, his eyes suddenly broadened, and he looked back to that area behind Amethyst. Of course, that did little to explain the situation to her. Out of confusion, she tilted her head; then, a few seconds after, she noticed a subtle weight return to it.

A hand was quickly thrown back into her hair to check Amethyst's assumption. Sure enough, the ends of her hair were slowly being restored, albeit at about a millimeter a second. Definitely an odd sensation. Amethyst could more accurately feel her hair somehow "healing" from Steven's light kiss as the locks slowly came into contact with her back; the moment that they crossed her shoulders, however, the process suddenly halted. Half-consciously, Amethyst could feel the ends of her hair no longer warm.

"That..." Steven started after a brief hum, "...kinda worked?" He placed a thoughtful hand under his chin, inspecting Amethyst's hair like he had before. She was too stupefied to check it herself. The most she could accomplish was noticing Steven's motion towards the window of his room. Amethyst glanced at the glass, still unsure what he was trying to indicate, then noticed the reflection. Though it was difficult to see in the dark of night, Amethyst could see the length of her hair at least somewhat restored, ending just after the length of her neck. The more noticeable part was how every burnt strand was now gone.

Finally, Amethyst realized Steven's intentions, but didn't make a comment on them just yet. She had plenty to ask about, such as how his healing abilities knew how long to make her hair or how those abilities seemingly _cleaned_ her hair, but none of those things seemed relevant at the moment. The only thing that _did_ seem relevant was Steven's method of healing, meaning Amethyst looked back at him with a skeptical expression instead of an appreciative one. He awaited her words patiently, though he didn't seem sure what they would be. A mixture of hesitation and embarrassment didn't reveal much other than a looming apology. For once, Amethyst didn't give Steven's expression much thought, returning it with an unamused look.

"Why couldn't you just lick your hand?" she asked him flatly.

Her question seemed to startle Steven. Maybe it was her tone more than what she asked, but her nerves didn't let her be certain. True, Steven's healing abilities had worked through mere contact of the lips (a fact Amethyst was more than aware of), but his spit was what did the trick. He seemed to forget that sometime during the past 24 hours, according to his surprised expression. His eagerness for direct contact wasn't ignored on the mission, either, but it was just now that Amethyst was realizing how much easier things might've been if he resorted to a more "professional" method of healing.

"I, uh-" Steven uncertainly began, stuttering. He might as well have been caught red-handed for all his guilty expression said. In a sense, Amethyst felt like he _was_ caught red-handed. The boy took a couple tries to explain himself, blushing considerably and refusing to meet Amethyst's eyes. She felt her brow furrow as she recalled the amount of "problems" that stemmed from Steven's casual approach to healing her. The only time she could recall that he licked his hand was when her Gem had gotten damaged. As a result, Amethyst could feel her minor frown grow. The past hour could've gone by so much faster if she didn't have to worry about enjoying Steven's contact _too_ much every couple of minutes.

"Why'd you kiss me, huh?" Amethyst inquired before Steven could accurately explain himself. Not that she meant to, but a slight degree of irritation worked its way into Amethyst's tone, making it sound a little more aggressive than intended. Detecting that wasn't too high on her priority list at the moment. Steven, startled again by her quickened question, raised his hands in defense. Whatever progress in giving an answer was lost as Amethyst continued her questioning, the Gem not thinking much on where her questions led. "Why'd you have to go ahead and heal me like _that?_ "

Confused, Steven tilted his head, though his blush persisted either way. While he didn't think his eagerness for a light kiss here and there was so bad when he had concrete reasoning, Amethyst was wholly aware of what that eagerness incited, that usually being a stupefied couple of minutes that lasted hours. Amethyst's voice increased in volume alongside her agitated expression. "I get it," she continued with a heavy sigh, "You're just bein' nice _._ I know that, probably better than everyone else. But why'd you have to be... _that_ nice?"

Again, Steven tried to give an answer, but couldn't quite form one. That happened to be more of an effect from Amethyst's pace than being put on the spot, but she didn't notice as much, speaking quicker with every word. Unconsciously, she found herself speaking more openly about her trouble than anticipated. "I'm trying _not_ to think about it, okay? I'm trying to be _normal,_ but you ain't really making it easy, y'know!"

Whatever Amethyst said had shut Steven's mouth at the moment, and he leaned in closer, still nonplussed. She threw up an exasperated hand, rolling her eyes. Her honesty was rendered negligible at the moment, meaning she didn't give much thought towards what exactly she was saying or even trying to accomplish. The most she could identify was the rapid build-up of aggravation in her voice, and that currently didn't seem out of the ordinary. Almost justified. "You just keep on... being _you._ And here I am, pretending everything is fine, thinking, 'oh, of course he won't ask about that,' or, 'yeah, he's carryin' me 'cause he wants to,' and I'm not supposed to do _squat_ about it!"

Steven seemed to say something to pause Amethyst's rambling (or probably to ask her to be a little quieter), but it was mumbled too quietly to be heard all that well. She probably wouldn't have stopped either way. Unconsciously, Amethyst groaned, clutching her restored hair tightly. "Why can't you just ask or something?" she let out suddenly, like a dam finally bursting. "Are you seriously not gonna ask why I'm bein' so _weird?_ You _have_ to have noticed by now!"

There wasn't much of a pause for Steven to answer, though he did raise a cautious palm towards Amethyst. His effort didn't accomplish much. Before she could stop herself, Amethyst heard the last words fall out of her mouth with disconcerting clarity. "I _kissed_ you, on the _mouth_ even! Doesn't that mean something- heck, _anything_ to you?"

Her words hung in the air, seemingly uninterrupted by the rain outside. Steven's clutch on his blanket relaxed in tandem with Amethyst's tensed hands. Finally, she stopped talking. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her reflection look as startled as Steven was a few moments ago. Next to that, Steven's reflection seemed almost hurt. Just as the rain started picking back up, Amethyst's words finished catching up to her brain. She nearly recoiled from the impact.

"I..." she hesitantly tried speaking again in a shaky voice. The darkness of Steven's room was no longer relevant in Amethyst's difficulty with looking at him. Speaking to him was about as difficult; probably even more so. Realizing her poor phrasing hadn't helped, either. "I-I mean..."

Ironically, Amethyst couldn't find much to say to Steven. Half of that was because she didn't know where to begin, and the other half was because she was working out how practical it'd be to never talk to Steven for the rest of her life. Probably not all that valid of an option. He made no effort to help her talk, the boy holding a disconcerting silence. He was upset in _some_ capacity, not making Amethyst eager to find out how. A pregnant quiet that could've lasted hours passed; then, Steven shifted a tad closer to Amethyst, placing a hand next to her's. He spoke carefully, his voice much quieter than either of them anticipated.

"Of course that means something to me, Amethyst," he told the Gem in front of him. Speaking was difficult for the both of them, apparently. Still, Steven had tried for a softer tone more than an inaudible one. Amethyst was a little appreciative. "I... just don't really know _what._ "

The hand next to Amethyst's was carefully placed a little closer, as if _he_ was asking for forgiveness. He couldn't have imagined that was his intent, but Amethyst knew Steven well enough to understand what he had been attempting. She decided to help him by placing her grasp over his. Not much other than her contact was offered, though hopefully Steven could understand that was all Amethyst had dared to give. He wasn't all that upset by her refusal to meet his words.

"I wish I did know," Steven continued, looking at Amethyst for a little more support. Both of them received as much, inciting Amethyst to meet his eyes. An apologetic expression had settled on her features. "But I... I dunno, I wasn't _bothered_ or anything by you acting 'different'."

Amethyst nodded in response, expecting that answer. As well as she knew Steven, she could never consistently remember that he was the kind of person to take things like her more-than-friendly behavior in stride. That didn't really make her feel better about the needlessly aggressive stupefaction. Dealing with candor so directly wasn't something she could consider herself being "good" at. Steven had thankfully picked up her slack in that regard, though his next words seemed troubled.

"To be honest, I've been feeling weird about it," he explained, scratching the back of his head with his free hand. Whatever attention Amethyst _didn't_ pay towards Steven was shoved to him as her gaze snapped to his unknown expression. He was upset, sure, but in a way that seemed entirely foreign to Amethyst. Frustrated? That wasn't the kind of tone he had in his voice, so Amethyst wasn't certain. "I kinda feel bad, too, 'cause I feel weird. That feels weird, too..."

Instinctively, Amethyst put a cautionary hand forward, giving him a braced expression. "Hey, don't feel bad," she finally stated, finding her voice out of basic necessity. "Really, you probably _should_ feel weird. That's kind of on me."

Steven paused, apparently taking in Amethyst's words as he glanced at the rain outside. He pondered what she meant before her message clicked more neatly into place. Evidently, Amethyst had been regretting her decision back at his mother's fountain, meaning Steven made an effort to clarify his words more urgently than before.

"No, that's not what I meant, Amethyst," he told her with a fair amount of conviction. The severity in his voice pulled Amethyst's eyes back to his, and he gave her as much support as he could muster. Hopefully he could convey as much. "I don't feel weird _because_ you kissed me. Really, I feel bad 'cause... well, because I sort of made it weird."

The regret on Amethyst's face slowly transformed into a look of befuddlement as Steven spoke. He didn't say much more, as he didn't feel the need to, but Amethyst had certainly felt that need. If anything, his words only confused her _more._

"... _what?_ " Amethyst blurted out, shaking her head. She leaned towards Steven, trying to make sense of what he was saying and utterly failing. Surprised by Amethyst's confusion, he backed up a tad, though couldn't think of much else to explain beyond what he already had. As a result, Amethyst gave him a prompt. "'Scuse me? _You_ made it weird? _I_ kissed _you._ "

Somehow, something as simple as a shrug was one of the most perplexing things to Amethyst. Steven had shrugged anyways, treating the peak of Amethyst's indulgence like it was just another one of her pranks accidentally gone awry. His casualness wasn't something Amethyst had the luxury of feeling herself, so he attempted to throw a little extra care into his words for good measure. That seemed like a good measure to take.

"I know you did," he admitted slowly, nodding. Barely, he tried shifting a little closer to Amethyst, sensing her unease. "But... I'm comfortable with that. At least, I know I should be. That's the weird part." A short pause followed his words. "That I'm not comfortable."

Amethyst could tell that his last statement was added for more clarification, but not even a two-hundred page report could convince her that he was remembering the whole situation right. She had unjustly kissed _him,_ and yet _he_ was the one feeling some regret over it? That was more than Steven's natural empathy; speaking bluntly, that was just a nonsensical way of thinking. At least, to Amethyst. Seeing that he wasn't doing too good of a job explaining himself, Steven sighed, moving just a little bit closer to Amethyst, to the point that his knee was about touching her's.

"Look," he tried saying, wondering how to explain again. Eventually he'd succeed at getting his point across (not that he really blamed Amethyst for missing it; he still wasn't sure about it himself). "I actually... talked about the kiss. With Pearl."

* * *

 **A/N:** So here's that abrupt break I mentioned earlier. You should definitely go on to the next chapter, though hopefully I don't have to tell you that. Stop reading this and go on now! Last one is just up ahead!


	11. Vicissitude, II

**A/N:** Though there's a fair amount of stuff I want to say, I'll leave it for the end. Don't want to keep you, yeah?

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _XI: Vicissitude, Part II_

"Look," he tried saying, wondering how to explain again. Eventually he'd succeed at getting his point across (not that he really blamed Amethyst for missing it; he still wasn't sure about it himself). "I actually... talked about the kiss. With Pearl."

Compared to what he'd been saying until now, Steven's last two words might as well have been a confession to murder. Instantly, Amethyst shot him a wide-eyed gaze, the Gem's mind automatically imagining the worst possible scenarios. Most of which involved Steven knowing too much. Since she no longer trusted her own judgement on how Steven would be about the whole situation regarding him, Amethyst only dared to give him a grimace.

"Please don't tell me Pearl told you," she asked Steven in nearly the same instant her dread settled in. Her voice was borderline desperate, though Amethyst didn't care too much. "About... you know, the thing."

Steven was nearly lost in thought, meaning he took much more time than Amethyst thought was necessary before answering her. Then again, she probably wouldn't have been satisfied if he answered _as_ she asked. After properly assessing her question, Steven gave her a dismissive wave. Her stress didn't move for a considerable length of time.

"No no, no," Steven hastily assured Amethyst, "She didn't tell me about whatever's upsetting you." He paused, causing Amethyst to hold her breath a little longer. "I made sure."

That seemed to be a relief to Amethyst. Subsequently, her relief caused a similar reaction in Steven. It was progress towards the original comfort they could have around each other. Like she wanted to make sure the progress was there, Amethyst gave her friend a good-natured slug on his shoulder, even going so far as to offer a few laughs.

"'Course you did," she breathed out with a relaxed sigh, "Dunno why I was worried." A small smile pulled Steven's lips upwards. Maybe Amethyst was finally making less of a deal about her agreeably friendly behavior. While Steven had still understood how Amethyst felt about her recent actions, he didn't quite get why the matter was so dire. Explaining the "why" of her closeness towards him felt more like a want for closure than a need. Unfortunately, the small smile on Amethyst's features was lost when she realized what he had told her.

"Wait, you talked about me kissin' you?" she asked incredulously, a sliver of dread returning to her voice. "With _Pearl?_ "

Returning to the original stress of the situation, Steven nodded, no longer able to look directly at Amethyst. Not that he could've seen, but Amethyst wasn't really able to look at _him,_ either. She was quiet for a while. Then, Amethyst shifted uncomfortably in place, moving neither closer nor farther from Steven. "...what'd she say?"

A couple moments of silence passed as Steven thought on his words. He might've noticed the rain outside had let up a while ago if he wasn't busy thinking of where to start. Ultimately, Steven decided to begin with what he was certain of.

"She wasn't upset," he told Amethyst with a convinced nod. Amethyst leaned in closer, still wary but a little more interested. "Definitely not mad or anything, so you don't have to worry about that. She even laughed about it, actually."

Thankfully, Steven managed to get Amethyst to relax again, if only a little. She hummed to herself. "Laughed, huh?" she muttered, shaking her head. She expected otherwise, obviously, though Amethyst wasn't about to call Pearl's reaction as endearing as Garnet had been earlier. Not much else could really match that, though she wasn't about to admit that to herself, much less Steven. "Dunno if that's better or worse."

"Probably better," Steven pointed out with a brief smirk. Amethyst rolled her eyes in response, which Steven liked to think of as a good reaction. It was much better than her being uncomfortable. After a fair amount of time, Steven finally brought himself to continue, but he was still hesitant to damper the mood. "...but, anyways, she came earlier to talk about what happened at the fountain."

An abrupt thought occurred to Steven, and he gave an apologetic look to Amethyst. "Sorry for, y'know, being so honest earlier."

Evidently not expecting an outright apology, Amethyst glanced at him, surprised. Her eyes narrowed as she struggled to recall what honesty he was referring to. Then she snapped with a matching hum, giving Steven a patient smirk. "Hey, don't worry about it," she assured him, waving off his regret. She was probably the best person to know how much difficulty Steven had in lying, and speaking from experience, it wasn't always easy to lie to Pearl. More so when he didn't know he "should've". Steven's current apology, though delayed, wasn't all that necessary in the first place. "Not like you could'a known, anyhow."

Steven nodded, matching Amethyst's hum. At least he didn't seem _too_ troubled by the matter. He didn't say anything else for some time, trying to phrase his words right. "Pearl actually wanted me to tell you how I feel about it," he finally decided to explain in a quiet tone. "The kiss, I mean."

Surprised again, Amethyst could only blink at Steven, at a loss for words. "Oh," was all she could say back, unable to digest the implications of Steven's statement quickly. That was definitely an important topic, but that didn't mean it was something Amethyst had really _wanted_ to know about. It was more like she _needed_ to know, though she understood that much wasn't entirely true. Knowing how her kiss had gone over with Steven would simply ease Amethyst's thoughts a whole lot more (hopefully). Without being told as much directly, Steven appeared to understand that her trouble over her earlier kiss and her mystery problem were related. Subsequently, Amethyst was finding it increasingly important to tell him of the latter.

"So," she started, bracing. Her voice was much quieter than she really wanted it to be, and with Steven's next statement likely life-altering, it was plenty quiet already. Amethyst found herself fidgeting for a couple moments before asking the dreaded question. "...how do you feel about it?"

More quiet followed as the rain outside momentarily hardened. Steven thought on his answer, not giving any attention to the brief flash of white followed by a sudden _*boom*_ about a half dozen seconds after. After the noise, Amethyst noticed Steven nodding to himself, as if to give himself more confidence _to_ answer. She decided he deserved as much help as he could get.

"I'm not gonna be upset any which way, Steven," she clarified for him. Her hand moved a little towards his, sliding over it with a gentle touch. _Both_ of them could feel a little more confidence sink in. The authenticity of Amethyst's voice increased as an effect. "You already know I feel weird about it in the first place. Not like I'm gonna be mad if you're upset or even freaked out a little."

Oddly enough, a few chuckles fell out of Steven's mouth. His face seemed just a tad darker, too, meaning Amethyst wasn't sure if her clarification had helped too much. "I'm not freaked out, Amethyst," he returned, shaking his head. Though intrinsically genuine, Amethyst thought that his tone was even more honest, somehow. Maybe she was reaching a tad. Steven continued in his honest tone anyways, clearing his throat. "It's just that... like I said, it feels weird that I _don't_ know how I feel about it. I think I should."

Amethyst continued bracing, not really sure if that counted as an answer or not. She tilted her head, hoping to be given more clues. A general sense of "good" or "bad" would've sufficed by now. Hearing the quiet, Steven tried explaining as much as he knew with certainty. "I mean, I even talked to Pearl about it, but still... all I can really tell is that I'm just..."

He paused for a moment. "... _glad,_ that it happened."

This time, Amethyst didn't even blink. She stared at Steven, who was able to tell she was nearly frozen even if her hand wasn't on his. Unsure if he said what he was supposed to, Steven glanced about, wondering where he could've improved on his words. He had been honest, though he didn't have a whole lot of honest words to tell Amethyst.

"Glad?" she finally questioned back. She couldn't really believe what Steven had said, for a variety of reasons. Steven didn't know the majority of those reasons, but now, Amethyst felt like he might as well have. "Glad" definitely wasn't something she had expected Steven to feel; it wasn't even on the short list of generally positive words she had hoped for. Steven nodded affirmation, then thought of something else to tell Amethyst. His next words seemed more instinctive than thought out.

"I even told Pearl that I'd be fine if you kissed me again."

If Amethyst wasn't surprised before, she was now. That was putting it lightly. Amethyst shook her head in response, like her ear was clogged up and she hadn't heard Steven right. Her rising heartbeats produced a similar enough effect. All that Amethyst could really say was a lengthy series of stupefied mumbles and incredulous statements. She could see Steven's cheeks gain a rosier tint about the same moment he realized his words, though he couldn't hope to match how heated Amethyst's face had felt. On instinct, Amethyst resorted to her base casualness after a few more moments of disbelief.

"That, uh," she uncertainly began, an anxious grin on her features, "that supposed to be an invitation?"

 _Now_ Steven might've been able to compete with her anxious incredulity. He almost copied her reaction, shaking his head and getting way too flustered for comfort. It would've been a lot funnier if Amethyst hadn't empathized with him. That wasn't to say it wasn't funny in the first place. Sure, she almost regretted her words, but seeing Steven get as unnecessarily bewildered was something of a guilty pleasure. He desperately tried composing himself as Amethyst felt a few instinctive laughs escape her mouth.

"N-no," he tried clarifying, raising his hands in defense. Somehow, his uncertain disapproval made the situation more comical, forcing another couple of laughs from Amethyst. Her own unease was rendered irrelevant. "I mean, y'know, it'd be fine if you _did_ _,_ but you don't _have_ to. Not gonna, uh, say _no_ one way or the other. Just- putting that out there. Y'know."

Amethyst chuckled a little more, noting that he didn't really look like he'd be fine right now. For all his honesty, she wasn't entirely sure that he'd take another kiss with as much comfort as he said he would. Amethyst entertained the idea anyways; first as a way to simply mess with Steven, then as another case of a compromise. The heated grin on Amethyst's face faded as she realized the more serious implications of Steven's statement. He wasn't grinning in the first place, though his expression went through a similar transformation as he realized the same things Amethyst did. Unconsciously, both Gems began to fidget in place, suddenly unable to look directly at each other for more than a second at a time.

He said he was _glad_ about her kiss. Not upset or weird or even disgusted. While "glad" was a strange way to describe one of Amethyst's more short-sighted bouts of candor, she at least understood it definitely wasn't a _bad_ thing. "Compromising" again now, after Steven had relayed his want for a general ease about the first time around, suddenly seemed like a welcome idea to her. Then again, Amethyst had to remember her own bias about going through with that. She wasn't going to forget the feeling of her indulgence for a long time, meaning it may as well have been a minute ago for how well she could recall the dozen or so seconds. But... as much as she wanted to believe otherwise, taking up Steven's unconventional invitation felt almost back-handed.

If Steven had known her reasoning behind kissing him, she probably would've been trying to lock lips with him now. Not having anything to really hide or worry about tended to simplify things. However, since he made more of an effort to understand and respect Amethyst's privacy than to find out her esoteric feelings towards him, she felt like she was obligated to reciprocate that respect. The main reason that kept her from talking to Steven about her problem was the uncertainty in how he'd take that information. She was still uncertain, sure, but at least now the hope that he wouldn't be disgusted was believable. Knowing that he didn't entirely understand her first kiss with him made her a lot more determined to get him to understand her second one.

"But, uh," Steven abruptly muttered with a sigh, breaking Amethyst from her thoughts. She looked at him, seeing him rub the back of his neck with an anxious expression. The sight carried an odd air of charisma, somehow. Maintaining her hastily formed convictions was suddenly a lot harder now that she had to actually maintain them as opposed to thinking them. She thanked the fact of his guilt for making him look away from her odd gaze. "...yeah. I just wanted you to know. Glad's a good thing, right?"

A couple of seconds passed as Amethyst attempted to forget about how alone they were in each other's presence. She nodded enthusiastically, trying to encourage as much of a positive attitude towards her actions as possible. The exact context of the situation now held a frightening relevance to what she was thinking of telling Steven, and while it benefit her confidence in telling him, being with _just him_ also harmed her confidence, in a way. Sort of a double-edged sword. Eventually, Amethyst swallowed her paranoia and began what she really didn't want to.

"...hey, Steven," she casually ventured, trying to neutralize her expression. Neither her features nor her voice felt like they were as normal as she attempted to make them. Steven was at least returning to their earlier casualness, humming acknowledgement. Not that he seemed to forget about the recent notion Amethyst had joked about, but he did treat it with more triviality than before. Amethyst tried not to note his persistent blush, pursing her lips and talking further. "...I should tell you about the problem. What's been bothering me."

Maybe "need to" was more accurate than "should", if the drumming of her fingers was anything to go by.

As expected, Steven was surprised by the abrupt topic Amethyst had brought up. He currently didn't seem to think that their recent conversation and the matter of her dilemma were so closely related, meaning it was even harder to say more. He could've connected just one dot and Amethyst probably would've been overflowing with unnecessary honesty. Instead, Steven waited before saying anything at all, the boy making an effort not to look at the sudden nervousness Amethyst had gained since asking if his words were a form of invitation. His proximity wasn't too great at calming her, either. She was nearly fighting him for space at the center of his bed. Finally, Steven hummed, though it sounded more like dismissal instead of acknowledgement.

"No," he said simply, relaxing a bit and leaning back. Just as Amethyst had opened her mouth, Steven had given reason to close her mouth in the same moment. It hung open anyways in a surprised gape. "You don't have to tell me this soon. I know you're not that comfortable talking about it."

Some stupefied seconds passed. Then Amethyst thought to close her mouth, letting her bite her lip, nearly tasting blood. Her eyes closed for a second, which hopefully didn't show her strained patience too well. Within the same day, she finally decided that she ought to tell Steven what he should've known since it first came about, and now he was giving her extra time to prepare regardless. Sure, part of the reason she even wanted to tell him now was so that she could justify another bit of indulgence, so to speak, but that reward was what pushed her to confess. Attempt to confess, at least. Not that she could see, but Steven seemed curious about her tense expression, tilting his head. She eventually tried pushing further, thinking that the sooner she got to telling him, the sooner he could get to understanding her predicament.

"I _really should_ tell you, though," she said, trying to nod earnestly. Her message was given a little too forcibly to be all that normal, though "normal" wasn't a luxury she could afford at the moment. Steven's curiosity hadn't moved, though he did try to give Amethyst an easing smile, because of course he did. She could appreciate his effort, but it ultimately mattered little in calming her. Her words thinned even more. "You _really should_ know. After... everything."

 _"For the love of the Kindergarten,"_ Amethyst found herself praying and/or hoping, _"Just_ make _me tell you."_

This time, Steven seemed to seriously consider Amethyst's offer. It wasn't even supposed to _be_ an offer in the first place, but he managed to make it one. He put a thoughtful hand on his chin, which hopefully meant he realized her persistence was more than a little important. He _had_ to have picked up on what her earlier words had meant, right? Even more time was spent as Amethyst waited in forced silence. She was tempted to spit out her statement right then and there, but it held the kind of importance that denoted at least some preparation, especially considering whom her statement was directed towards. Finally, just as Amethyst's heartbeats forced her to speak anyways, Steven waved an open hand.

"You can tell me when you're ready, Amethyst," he assured her again. "I can wait if you're still uncomfortable."

Of course she _was_ uncomfortable, but not saying what she needed to only worsened that. "Steven..." was all she could bring herself to say, the grip on her blanket tightening to a degree that threatened to rip the fabric. The young Gem moved himself a little closer, sensing Amethyst's discomfort. It wasn't that important at the moment, but a few clouds outside parted enough to let a little more moonlight into the room. Without the slightest bit of inquiry from Steven, saying anything directly about her feelings felt impossible. She decided to beat around the bush a little instead.

"Look," she hesitantly began, her eyes falling on the closeness of Steven's legs. He leaned towards her regardless, still curious about what she was trying to say. After a braced sigh, Amethyst loosened her grip on the blanket to bring a hand to his face. So many things came to mind, and yet the most she could hear herself admit was, "I ain't the best with words."

A concerned frown fell on Steven's features as he brought his own hand around her's. That was about all Amethyst could see before she used her grasp to pull their mouths together.

Her other arm found itself around Steven's back as Amethyst moved closer, feeling his instinctive brace. She pushed herself into him, using his surprise to her advantage, pressing her lips into his with far more passion than there'd been back at the fountain. The firm hand cupping Steven's face relaxed after a moment or two, naturally sliding into his curly hair and moving a few short locks over his ear. A fraction of him relaxed at this. Amethyst's other hand rose up with a small grip of its own, ever so slightly bringing Steven's pajamas with it and exposing a sliver of his Gem. While the majority of her body relaxed nearly into Steven, Amethyst kept her lips on his not quite forcefully, but still indulgently. She could feel her heart-rate pick up as she continued kissing him, leaning into her better-than-best friend.

What little resistance Steven had turned into a kind of support for Amethyst, the young Gem's initial tenseness receding into a natural brace. That brace then melted into a total relaxation as Steven gently grasped Amethyst, slowly following after her and putting an arm around her. Out of instinct, Steven rubbed Amethyst's back as he accepted her kiss, carefully allowing her to lean over him over the course of a half dozen seconds. She seemed almost eager to do so, pushing her forehead to his as she greedily continued with her mouth. In only a few more seconds, Amethyst was entirely above him, but he still leaned upwards into her, feeling what little support she gave to staying upright diminish with each second.

Steven found one of his hands moving from the fabric on Amethyst's back up to the bare skin of her shoulder, caressing her. Barely, he felt a lock of her shortened hair brush over his fingers, only inciting him to gently pull Amethyst down towards him. She followed, losing what little restraint she had and deepening her kiss further after a heavy breath. Steven reciprocated that as well, ignoring his own rushed breaths and feeling the majority of Amethyst's weight on top of him. She had moved one of her hands back to Steven's cheek, if only to grasp it more securely; her other hand offered little support to keep her from falling on Steven completely. Her attempt to stay upright seemed almost loose to him. For a fraction of a moment, Steven peeled his eyes open ever so slightly, glancing towards Amethyst's arm. The taste of her tongue shut his eyes closed in the same instant, but for a second, Steven could see the loose strap of her tank-top slide down towards her elbow, exposing a portion of her black sports bra and subsequently her Gem underneath.

At the moment, Steven didn't give it much thought, continuing to kiss Amethyst as she kissed him. There seemed to be little else in the world; every one of their five senses was overloaded, ranging from the uniquely cozy smell of Amethyst's hair to the comparatively warm touch of Steven's skin. The violet Gem seemingly felt her attire loosen, but gave it even less thought than Steven had. He noticed her shake her arm a little, most likely to reduce the possible distraction of the cloth. However, just as Steven began to pull away for a few proper breaths, Amethyst removed her mouth from his, simultaneously moving her hand from his face. As he caught up on breathing, Steven's eyes opened once again, and stayed open considerably longer when he noticed Amethyst shimmying her arm from the strap of her tank-top, looking almost frustrated. Such a direct shock forced Steven to consider the moment, and he blinked once or twice to clear his head.

"Wait-" was all he could get out before Amethyst nearly fell back onto Steven, wrapping an arm around his neck and returning her lips to his with the same enthusiasm she had before. The full weight of her body on his was noticed with a freshly renewed surprise, and it was probably one of the only things that could halt Steven's willingness to kiss Amethyst back. He did persist for another few moments, though. Then, Steven forced himself to break away, pushing his head against his mattress and gently (but firmly) holding Amethyst at least a few inches from him by her shoulders. As expected, Amethyst was more than surprised, giving Steven a wide-eyed look that nearly broke his conviction in the same moment. Both of them panted heavily, their chests heaving in complaint of the Gems' priorities. Besides their gasps for air, both Gems stayed as still as they could, staring at each other with equally surprised and confused expressions. Faintly, two dim lights illuminated the mattress they more-or-less rested on; neither of those lights came from outside.

Out of a quickly gained habit, Steven didn't notice the firmness in his grasp for a considerable length of time. He wasn't given any complaints, though. There wasn't much to fill the silence now that the rain had passed, either, and both Gems stayed quiet, only letting their oxygen deprivation do the talking. Eventually, Steven swallowed, nodding slowly while keeping his eyes transfixed on Amethyst's. "Maybe," he began, his voice a whisper, "…j-just… not…"

Uncertainly, the Gem cleared his throat, motioning towards Amethyst's side before darting his gaze away. She glanced where he had, suddenly noticing how bare she was. For once, though, Steven seemed to have a darker face than her's. Without a single word, Amethyst nodded, hesitant to move at all. The sliver of resistance Steven had felt unlatched his grasp instantly, and he heard the subtle shuffles that indicated Amethyst had re-adjusted her tank-top to its original state. Steven moved even less than Amethyst had, pressing his arms into his mattress and forcing himself to look away from both of their still glowing Gems, trying to think of anything other than Amethyst in vain.

It was a while before Amethyst got the idea to move off of Steven. He didn't say much about his immobility, though maybe he had tried to ask through his features alone. Amethyst couldn't look at him long enough to receive such a question. Mostly, it was the subtle glow of her (and his) Gem that persuaded her to move. She carefully sat up before inching herself away from Steven, allowing him to sit up a little in a matching silence. Their breathing was slowly returning to normal, but not nearly quick enough. The longer they gasped, the more noticeable their reason for being out of breath in the first place. That reason was plenty obvious already.

Steven, now only having to support his own weight, fully brought himself up to a sitting position. He glanced at Amethyst's flushed face, half-consciously comparing it to his own heated cheeks. Aside from her heavy blush, Amethyst looked almost ashamed, avoiding Steven's eyes at seemingly any cost. Now her hands were _really_ fidgeting. Still, the fact that she was still in the same room with him had to be some kind of good sign. She mumbled something under her breath, causing Steven to lean a little closer. His mind was still cooling off to give any semblance of something to say. Hearing her own muttering, Amethyst shook her head, attempting to compose herself and not succeeding too well.

"S-so, uh-" she quietly began, wringing her hands. That had certainly been a lot different compared to what happened at the fountain. Compared to now, her earlier kiss might've been a friendly hug for all she had felt from it. As much ardor she could find in her most recent indulgence, though, Amethyst didn't exactly feel at ease. That discomfort only prolonged her inability to speak clearly, the Gem mumbling something about Steven being surprisingly good at kissing.

It wasn't what he expected to hear, but it was something. By now, something was definitely better than nothing, especially when Steven could only think of a similar compliment. "Um," he uncertainly started, anxiously scratching his neck, "...thanks?"

Amethyst apparently didn't think that Steven could hear her that well (or even at all), the Gem's gaze snapping to him. He looked completely nonplussed, either from her words or actions. Probably both, if he had felt the smallest shred of similarity to what silenced her. His small prompt forced a few more words from Amethyst. "You're welcome," she told him, sounding bewildered.

Some time passed. Then, for whatever reason, a snort resounded from Steven. Small, almost inaudible, but the slightest hint of a laugh. In the silence of the night, it's noise was amplified considerably. Whatever brought about Steven's brief laugh soon caused Amethyst to follow, though neither Gem was really sure why. Hearing the noise from her caused Steven to repeat it, noticeably louder. The resounding exchange grew in both volume and length over the next couple of moments, and before either of them knew it, they were laughing uncontrollably without really knowing why.

While it wasn't exactly sensible, their combined chuckling did erase the tenseness that had settled in. At the very least, Steven could naturally move a little closer to Amethyst without fearing she'd shift away. He clutched his head as he laughed, momentarily finding their earlier situation a little easier to discuss. Amethyst's giggling prolonged the discussion, though, so Steven did little to talk about it right away. It was a fair amount of time until their chuckling died down enough to talk, but just as Steven moved to question... _anything,_ really, Amethyst drew in a sharp breath.

"Wait," she nearly commanded, freezing for a moment. Steven, halted by her dire tone, cut the last of his laughs short as he cleared his throat. He didn't say anything in response, humming acknowledgement with a brief glance at Amethyst's messy hair. She hesitantly expressed her stupefaction, taking care with each word. "You... kissed me back?"

A little of the earlier quiet had moved back over both Gems, but with a bit more of a natural understanding, Steven was a lot readier to talk. "...yeah?" he answered simply, unsure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Really, he just did the first thing that came to mind and went from there. With Amethyst usually having a similar mentality, he hoped she could understand why. It was difficult to tell if she did, the violet Gem being more concerned with what she certainly didn't understand.

"So, you know, uh..." she tentatively tried, her voice somewhat harder to hear. Her hand's movements slowed a little, though her persistent blush showed some anxiety Steven felt determined to rid her of. He raised a hand, nodding as though to signify Amethyst didn't have to say more. There was a lot he learned from the past few minutes.

"Yeah," he said with a sigh, understanding what Amethyst was trying to clarify. His nod was reciprocated along with a minor sigh of relief. "I think I know what was bothering you."

Amethyst was more than thankful that she didn't have to explain so much directly. Just because there was a lot to say didn't mean there was a lot she wanted to currently discuss. Still, knowing that she could finally discuss the situation with Steven without skirting the topic was more than a pleasant thought. The thought was so pleasant that Amethyst even brought herself to look at Steven straight-on, attempting to muster a kind of professional expression. Even if he hadn't grinned, she could feel that professional wasn't something she could accomplish all that easily.

"I..." she tentatively started, sounding a little quiet. This time, though, a substantially greater amount of confidence could be heard in her voice. "I love you, Steven."

Well, that was much easier than she anticipated. The rather intense bout of kissing earlier probably helped. Steven nodded, like he understood her completely. He _had,_ really. Hearing her lack of distress widened his grin a little more. "I love you too, Amethyst," he returned, moving a little closer to her. It was like they hadn't separated in the first place. With the clouds outside no longer in the way of the moon, Steven could see her calmed smile much easier than before. He could also see that smile turn into a skeptic pout after a few seconds.

"But you, uh," Amethyst began again, "you know how I mean that, right?"

Steven would be lying if he said that he didn't anticipate that as a potential question, thinking that his earlier obliviousness denoted some clarification now. He nodded once more, finding a little humor in what she asked. The skeptical expression on her features didn't go anywhere just yet, though. Amethyst moved to clarify further, obviously not believing him. "I meant, like... y'know, _romantically._ Not just like family. Y'know?"

Since nodding didn't seem to suffice, Steven waved a hand in the air as he answered. " _Yes,_ " he assured Amethyst. He assumed that she could tell as much given her recent record-breaking intimacy. Surely that had solidified things, right? Amethyst finally seemed to take his word, moving to lean a little on his shoulder. Her pleasant touch didn't distract him from noting how much clarification she had needed. He wasn't insulted, but knowing he could've been put a mock frown on his face. "Of course I know. How couldn't I?"

Surprisingly, Amethyst laughed again as she moved her hand towards his. Unlike before, she seemed to have a reason behind her chuckling. "Gee, I dunno," she joked, glancing at Steven's gentle touch in her's, "Just that it took _two_ kisses for you to figure it out, plus a lotta bein' weird. And talking."

An embarrassed blush filled Steven's cheeks. True, not realizing what Amethyst had called a "problem" beforehand now seemed a little detrimental to his dignity. Maybe he wasn't as good at spotting those kinds of things as he thought he was. He mumbled to himself about forcing himself not to think about it, forcing another snort out of Amethyst. "Love ya, bud," she told with a smirk, "but you can be a little... _naive,_ sometimes."

He didn't intend to agree out loud, but another brief laugh from Amethyst let him know more than hearing his own voice did. She sighed, a little more weight leaning on Steven. Despite not facing the window, he had the odd thought of liking what he saw. It probably would've been more accurate to say whom he saw. Just as Steven tried shushing his thoughts, Amethyst gasped again, though it wasn't as worrying with her being as close as she was. Her eyebrows raised as she faced Steven, seemingly wondering something else important.

"When you said 'I love you', just now..." she started, glancing to the side for a moment. A small amount of anxiety returned to her voice, causing Steven to put an arm around her. It seemed to help more than a little bit, either for how quickly Steven had moved or the mere contact itself. With her own contact momentarily contracting, he had assumed the former. "...how, um, _did_ you mean that, exactly?"

Steven pondered her question for a moment. Thankfully, he didn't have to think too hard, as responding instinctively was something he had a lot more faith in. Something about Amethyst had that effect on him, now more than ever. Before even giving her the chance to clarify, Steven answered honestly.

"Same way," he admitted.

His answer within the realm of being a ludicrous dream, Amethyst didn't dare believe his words for a moment. She practically hadn't heard him, the Gem still giving him an expectant face. Her head shook when she recalled the definition of "same," though her expression hadn't left. A couple seconds of quiet passed, letting Steven become more than aware of his arm's placement around her. She didn't exactly shy away from his grasp, though, so he tentatively tightened it a little, bringing Amethyst a fraction closer to him. Her expression still hadn't moved.

"Really?" she blurted out, shaking her head in disbelief. There was some trouble to be found in realizing how readily Steven had given his answer, as though linking his casualness to his honesty was a bridge temporarily under maintenance. Steven, hearing Amethyst's lack of a real response, hummed affirmation. He may as well have been mute, the wonder on her features solidified for some time. A sliver of joy could be seen tugging her lips upwards, though it was severely dampened by her continuous incredulity. Seeing as much persuaded Steven to give his evidence.

"I kissed you back, remember?" he mentioned, thinking that spoke for itself. Evidently, it did, according to Amethyst's enlightened "Oh." She was quiet for a while, taking in Steven's reciprocation for quite some time. It allowed him to enjoy her soft touch just a little while longer, the boy finding it a lot more comforting than it would've been yesterday. Her touch tightened considerably, though it still wasn't all that uncomfortable. A couple half-statements of both disbelief and gratitude fell out of Amethyst's mouth before she could focus her words.

"But... why?"

As honest of an answer Steven could've given on the spot, he found himself waiting a bit before responding. Amethyst wasn't fidgeting like she was before, but she did seem impatient for him to explain himself. The expanding joy on her features painted that in a more positive light. She _definitely_ hadn't expected Steven to understand her feelings, much less return them so easily, so it made sense for her skepticism to persist. Ironically, Steven found most of his arguments too straightforward to be mentioned, though he had to reason that they only felt as natural to him, as much as he wanted to (and sometimes did) believe otherwise.

"Lots of reasons, really," he began, shrugging casually. The matter was important, but he was already comfortable around Amethyst before realizing how she had felt about him (and subsequently vice versa). All of his discomfort surrounding the effect she had on him could be traced back to his lack of understanding about her first kiss, and that was no longer existent. While he had felt somewhat _different_ around Amethyst, either because of her more-than-friendly actions or the reasoning behind them, he didn't feel like much truly changed. The most that had changed was the range of intimacy he could really feel around Amethyst, and that was by no means a bad thing. A puzzled look from her brought Steven out of his thoughts, and he moved to at least talk about the most important things that came to mind. Still, the list was expansive.

"There's never really a time when I don't like being around you, first." Unconsciously, the slight grasp around Amethyst closed a little further as he spoke. She nodded, listening to Steven intently. Her grin alone could show her interest in what he was saying, regardless of how important he knew his words were to her. The careful lean between them would've sufficed as well. Remembering that there wasn't much he shouldn't have said, Steven continued. "I always feel like you know what to do, no matter what. You're super fun when I'm bored, and nice when I'm feeling down, and... you're just _there._ "

Amethyst's smile grew with each of Steven's words, the Gem evidently being a fan of what he had to say. That didn't seem to be just because he was talking about her; she was enjoying his compliments, no doubt, but more because they were given as reasoning as opposed to any attempt to ingratiate himself with her. Steven's honesty was certainly more than flattering to her. His honesty continued as Amethyst shook her head incredulously. Under his own words, Steven could've sworn he heard a few ecstatic giggles.

"You've always kinda been..." he gradually started, leaning his head on Amethyst's shoulder, "...a _friend,_ too." Abruptly, Amethyst froze, but her smile stayed glued on her lips. Now she seemed to be smirking to herself more than to Steven. He didn't get any ill sense from her sudden halt. As long as she had a genuine smile, he would keep his own. "Garnet's kinda like a teacher, y'know? And Pearl's sorta like a mom. I love them, too, but I always feel the most comfortable, well... around you."

Since it was the kind of fact that Steven thought of as obvious, he didn't expect Amethyst to be as moved as she was. Her leg moved a tad closer to her as she chuckled to herself. It sounded like she was recalling some old joke. If her laugh wasn't as nice of a noise as it was, Steven might've asked what she was thinking about.

"Aw, shucks," she let out through her laughs with a wave, "You're makin' me blush, man." A brief glance at her face let Steven know that she was being literal. Her cheeks were definitely a tad darker than the rest of her face, and Steven found himself looking at her features a little longer than he initially intended. As a result, his own cheeks tried taking after Amethyst. He didn't try to, but he also found himself muttering about her agreeable appearance. Nothing too loud, but a statement or two about her features definitely escaped his lips. Of course, Amethyst had heard him.

Before today, Amethyst might've shrugged off his compliment, stating that of course she looked good. Seeing as how Steven didn't make much of a reaction following his words, however, she thought that he hadn't realized what he said out loud. A resounding feeling of flattery kept her from talking for a considerable length of time. However, that didn't mean Amethyst couldn't tease him about his unconscious appreciation. She batted her eyelashes, dramatizing her expression in an overly feminine tone.

"So I should keep my hair shorter now, huh?" she joked, leaning towards his face with a smug grin. The inches between their noses could be counted on one hand. Steven seemed almost too aware of that.

Unconsciously, he nodded, not quite hearing her despite facing her directly. Amethyst's cheeks had quickly regained what little blood they lost, and she gained a bit of difficulty in maintaining her smug expression. Thankfully, Steven hadn't become completely immune to her teasing. He shook his head after realizing what she was implying, trying to dismiss the importance of how she looked. "Nah," he coughed, his own blush intensifying for a moment, "it doesn't matter. You look good anyways."

Even though Amethyst had just heard as much from Steven, she recoiled a little from her looks being complimented so openly. That could've justified confessing to Steven on its own. She laughed, though left off on teasing Steven further. With both of them being so open around each other now, she'd have to do a little better to properly mess with him, and gaining experience wasn't that important at the moment. Steven's minor laughs made sure. They gradually quieted, feeling like they had admitted enough for the moment. Neither had said anything, but they both glanced at the photo resting on Steven's nightstand, finding each other's grin more than a little pleasing. Amethyst could feel a bit more weight from Steven as the late hour eventually took hold, and she returned it with a lean of her own.

"Can't believe you love me back," she muttered, feeling her eyelids grow heavy. Still, the rapid heartbeats (and breaths) from earlier kept her awake; not necessarily _wired,_ but still definitely aware of whom she was trusting with her weight. "Just like that, too."

She could feel Steven shift a little, subsequently noticing Steven didn't look like he was going to go back to sleep any time soon, either. A little worry had settled on his features.

"I do," he replied to Amethyst's incredulity. His voice was somewhat quieter. Not wanting to shake her head, as that would probably decrease both his and her comfort, Amethyst raised a hand to explain herself.

"I know," she told him with a nod, "just that... didn't think it'd be that easy for you to say that. Thought for sure you'd be weirded out or something."

Amethyst wasn't given a response right away. She didn't get the idea that Steven was uncomfortable, but his willingness to actually think about his words felt odd, somehow. If he wasn't as honest as he was, she might've imagined that he actually _was_ weirded out by some degree. Eventually, he asked a one-word question. "Why?"

Seeing as how Amethyst had already discussed the oddness of her feelings with Garnet, she wasn't really eager to repeat herself. Still, Steven deserved as much. With a sigh, Amethyst moved an arm around him to more comfortably rest on him, which he wholeheartedly accepted. "Age, mostly," she admitted, nodding to herself. Steven seemed piqued by her reasoning, tilting his head in curiosity. "I know we get along and all, but I got a bit more experience over you, bud."

"You don't seem that much older, though," he quickly returned. For a brief moment, Amethyst gave him an odd look, raising her eyebrow. Then she understood he hadn't meant their age was _literally_ closer, making her grin on instinct. Somehow, Steven thinking of her near his own age wasn't really insulting. It wasn't flattering, either, but the fact was definitely comforting to her.

"Funny," Amethyst noted with a small chuckle, "Garnet actually said the same thing. Kinda." Her laugh was matched within a few seconds, followed by an off-hand statement about Garnet being pretty smart. She probably would've agreed. Amethyst allowed herself to rest a bit further, letting Steven's arm support her more than her own legs. Nothing was said about the matter; in fact, Steven might've been eager to be given the opportunity. Looking at his appreciative expression told Amethyst as much. She tried resigning to the quiet of the night, but there was one last thing she had to discuss before one of them inevitably nodded off. The matter was more of a preparatory preface than anything that required real "figuring out".

"Things are gonna be different now, aren't they?" Steven suddenly breathed out with a sigh, beating Amethyst to the topic she was hesitant to bring up. After her initial surprise faded, Amethyst gradually nodded, relaxing her grip on Steven a tad. She didn't say much, allowing Steven to talk for both of them. By now, it definitely made sense to trust his words. "But... not too different, right?"

While that was Amethyst's hope, the more rational side of her did have to think otherwise. She didn't think too much would change, really. The most that was different now was the kind of openness that either of them could have around each other. Sure, a lot of things came to mind on what they could do now, such as a more personal outing or... intimate bout of indulgence (Amethyst didn't think of much beyond what they had accomplished a few minutes ago, as Steven was still a bit young for the extents she knew of) but most of those things could've already been done anyways. Amethyst filled in Steven's quiet, sensing his similar thoughts and deciding to change topics.

"Talking about it is gonna be weird," she admitted, more comfortably resting on Steven. Though her current comfort diminished her worries, Amethyst found herself a little concerned that she still had yet to really discuss her situation beyond Garnet and Pearl. The latter of the two wasn't even given a real argument or explanation, outside of what Steven had apparently told her earlier. "I am _not_ looking forward to that conversation with Greg."

Steven pondered for a moment, then nodded agreement. "Yeah, that'll probably be weird," he mentioned, "but Dad'll understand, right?"

Considering the oddness of knowing him for as long as she did, Amethyst had to believe that it'd be difficult even convincing him that she was serious about her feelings for Steven, much less convincing him that her feelings were conventional. For all Garnet and herself had talked about, she could still tell that it wasn't the most normal thing in the world. Still, having Steven reciprocate those feelings made it seem a whole lot easier to discuss, as he had proved himself. Amethyst hummed, giving both of them the benefit of the doubt. At the very least, they could worry about that much later. For the time being, they simply rested on each other, enjoying the tranquility of the night in each other's presence.

Before ultimately letting her eyes shut, Amethyst glanced at Steven, one lingering thought occurring to her. He was found in a similar position to her's, the boy sitting up while also beginning to doze off. The blanket they sat on didn't seem to give as much comfort as each other, which Amethyst counted as a good thing. She opened her mouth, hesitating a little before speaking.

"Steven?" she asked for his attention quietly. He gave her a sleepy grin, tilting his head with a hum. She hummed to herself, thinking for a moment. Not much thought was given to what she was wondering, though the idea had been resting at the back of her mind for some time now. "Now that we get each other... can we... try something?"

The ambiguity of Amethyst's words brought Steven a little out of his tired state, and he shook his head, forcing himself to stay up a little longer. While he wasn't sure what Amethyst was referring to, he understood enough of her question to take it seriously. More so when he recalled Amethyst didn't have much of a reason to be all that ambiguous around him. "Sure," he agreed, still wearing a slight grin. "What'd you have in mind?"

* * *

Just after she walked though, the Temple door shut behind Pearl, somewhat reflecting her lethargy in leaving her room in the first place. Any longer and her ritualistic approach to sleeping might've become just that. Stretching her arm across her front, the tall Gem glanced towards the kitchen, trying not to let her relaxation damper the day too much. While nothing was planned for the moment, always being ready for a mission was something she constantly tried instilling in Steven. To that end, she stepped towards the kitchen cabinets and began placing ingredients on the counter for later. Just because she didn't eat didn't mean she couldn't prepare breakfast. Steven had ensured as much, in a variety of ways.

The moment Pearl moved towards the refrigerator to get the eggs out, a sudden beeping halted her hand. It wasn't loud enough to startle her, but it was definitely abrupt enough to stop her. Curious, the Gem waited a couple of moments, then turned to where the noise had come from. A few moments of confusion let her remember Steven had set an alarm on his phone after forgetting about morning training one too many times. Pearl continued looking up at his room, not seeing much other than the few rays of sunlight streaming through his window. The floor of his room cut off his nightstand, though she could assume that was where his phone lay.

A thought occurred to Pearl, moving her inquisitive gaze to the clock of the stove next to her. The green "9:30" surprised her somewhat, mainly because she considered herself the most punctual of all the Gems. Waiting as long as she did before starting the day wasn't something she tried to make a habit out of. Still, she reasoned that the late hour yesterday excused her tardiness, if only a little. Seeing the time made Pearl realize Steven's phone was still beeping, which usually translated to him sleeping through the noise. Who knew how; it was irritating enough when she was fully awake and far from it.

Keeping her patience, Pearl tried calling to Steven, hoping that would be enough to wake him. She waited for a few moments, then noticed his phone hadn't stopped making noise. With a sigh, the Gem rolled her eyes, calling to Steven again. Considering her late talk with him, she could understand why he had decided to sleep later than usual, though she didn't want him sleeping _too_ late. Her second call had about as much of an effect as her first, causing her to walk towards his room and call a third time. How anyone could be unconscious through such a noise was beyond her. It wasn't long before she had ascended the stairs, seeing the unrecognizable lump of Steven underneath his blanket.

Pearl moved to place a hand on Steven, though stopped when she noticed a photo on his nightstand. His buzzing phone was closer to her, but she suddenly found it irrelevant. Rather than move to halt the noise, Pearl found her hand gently pick up the picture, half-consciously noting the open drawer it had been taken out of. The image wasn't much; simply a warming picture of Steven and Amethyst at the boardwalk, enjoying their adequately named "fry bits". Despite the intrusiveness of Steven's phone, Pearl felt a slight smile pull her lips upwards. They really did get along. A few more thoughtful moments passed, then Pearl placed the photo back to its original position.

"Steven," she tried waking him again, a little gentler this time. He hadn't moved in the slightest, still contently dozing off in his bed's covers. A noticeable snore could be heard above his phone's beeping. Just as Pearl moved to place a hand on him and shake him awake, a high-pitched whistle stopped her. Compared to the phone's beeping, it might as well have been a shout. Startled, Pearl recoiled a little, then looked to where _that_ noise had come from.

Some distance away, standing in the doorway of the Temple, was Garnet. The fusion languidly leaned against the metal, and Pearl could see her casual expression from where she stood with hardly any difficulty. Nonplussed, she tilted her head, then saw Garnet mouth something along the lines of, "Let them sleep in."

That did little to clear Pearl's confusion. While she was certainly fine with letting Steven relax, especially after a mission so late in the night, she didn't quite understand Garnet's phrasing. Maybe she had misread her lips. Pearl uncertainly returned her eyes back to Steven, hesitating for a moment. Then he shifted a little bit, groaning slightly like he wasn't ready for the day. Pearl's confusion intensified when she noted the size of the lump under Steven's blankets as a little too big to be just him.

Before she could even begin to understand, a large arm rose from the covers, clumsily reaching towards Steven's nightstand. Another arm followed suit, though the fact that they _both_ had left hands was more than a little strange. Pearl could only stare in disbelief as the arms felt for the source of the beeping. Whoever was under the covers groaned again, not bothering to leave the comfort of the bed.

"Five mer' minutes," an unrecognizable voice slurred. After another few gracious attempts, enough of Pearl's befuddlement cleared up for her to reach down and press the "snooze" button on Steven's alarm. Hearing the noise halt, the smoke-colored arms stopped their unceremonious slapping, pausing for a moment. Then, Pearl was given two thumbs up, followed by a sleepy "Thanks."

"You're welcome," the Gem returned in surprise, staring as the arms returned under the covers. The lump of a person shifted a little in an attempt to get more comfortable. Pearl stood in silence for a fair amount of time, seeing the temple door close out of the corner of her eye. A small smirk could be seen just before the slate shut completely. Then, a small grin grew on her own features, and Pearl began descending back down Steven's stairs, moving to put the ingredients of his breakfast back.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks.**

So... the end. After about 90K words, almost two years, boat-loads of procrastination and drawing, and not a single bad review or message of discontent, the final chapter comes to a close, and the atypical relationship begins. Where it leads, I wouldn't know; it's not for me to decide, nor do I find it in my power to speculate. Tales may be found here and there, but in the end, it's not knowing that gives us something grand to fill in the blanks with.

Or maybe I'm just fricken' lazy.

Nah, just kidding.

I can't put into words how much I've come to appreciate all the support over the course of this story's journey. No matter how many times I look at the reviews left by you incredibly lovely folk, I find myself with the dopiest of grins, giggling to myself like a kid. It's the truth. So... I'm always so paranoid of letting down the people I've come to appreciate so much, whether they leave a positive review or simply just read this story. That might be why I feel more than a little bad for ending this seemingly abruptly.

I've been writing for this story for two years, but I'm not trying to excuse myself. That time could've been cut down considerably if I ever bothered to update like a decent human being (thanks again for putting up with the terrible "schedule" I had with this). The sad truth is, this story will never end if I don't let it. Heck, there were only supposed to be four or five chapters, and definitely not over 90,000 words. But hey, look at what we ended up with.

I'm not done shipping these two adorable Quartz, let me be clear. It's gonna be a long time until I get bored with writing about these two. It might be a while until I start another full-fledged story, though, so I'll be focusing on my other little drabble collection, _Butterflies,_ for the time being. If I'm not writing there, then I'm gonna be drawing, and vice versa. How odd that it took two cinnamon rolls to get me into all of this artsy stuff, huh?

Right, well, that about covers everything. Until I see you again, love.

Have a wonderful day!


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